Trying Again
by Britva
Summary: -Completed- After an incident that no one will talk about, Hermione Granger is shipped of to a new school and a new life and the one person she thought she could never trust helps her through it all. Newly edited 5-9-05 RR!
1. Changes

A/N: As of 5/9/05: I am slowly editing each chapter and re-posting it. Hopefully I catch all the mistakes, if not just tell me and I will correct it. I am also doing away with all the disclaimers and author's notes in each chapter so it's an easier read.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related people and places belong to Warner Bros. Poor J.K. Rowling!

Chapter 1

Changes

"I have wandered far and wide,

For something real,

Something to die for,

But I have found you,

And you do not see,

All that is me,

All that is true,

I am more than you will see,

I am more than you will need,

I am more than you will see,

More than wanted,

As you float that flimsy surface,

You should know life lies beneath it,

And don't pretend that you feel what I feel, for you,

Living the illusion that I am real,

I am more than you will see,

I am more than you will need,

I am more than you will see,

More than wanted,

I am more than you will see,

I am more than you will need,

I am more than you will see,

More than wanted,

I know, I know, you like the way you feel, when I play,

I know, I know, you don't really hear what I say,

I know, I know, you are waiting for something to rain,

I know, I know, you wish you could be more than you say,

I am more than you will see,

I am more than you will need,

I am more than you will see,

More than wanted,

I am more than you will see,

I am more than you will need,

I am more than you will see,

More than wanted,

More than you'll love,

More than you'll hate,

More than you'll have,

More than wanted,

More than you'll need,

More than you'll dream,

More than you'll hold,

More than wanted,

More than you'll crave,

More than you'll cherish,

More than you'll have,

More than wanted."

Vanessa Carlton "More Than Wanted"

Hermione Granger was sitting in a library. This was not unusual at all except where the library was. It was on the third floor of the castle at the wizarding school Beauxbatons. Hermione, after an incident that only a few knew about, had been transffered to Beauxbaton where she had taken up her post of trying to be the top student in her class.

The move to France (or at least somewhere in France) was to protect Hermione who had, had a rough 5th year and had an unwanted encounter with some one she had trusted. But that was no more. Sure, she trusted her parents and some of her friends, but she used to be so niave, so trusting and, in her opinion, dumb.

When she had arrived at Beauxbatons it had taken her a while to settle in. Lots of the girls here were snobby, none more than a blonde twit with the name Angelina DeCoeur. Angelina was pretty, but not stunning like her cousin, Fleur Delacour. Hermione had found out they where cousins a week into school. Angelina liked to sit around bragging about her wonderful family and their fortune. No one really liked her and most avoided her.

But Hermione had made one friend, a girl by the name of Amanda James. She was a transfer too, but this time from America. Amanda was similair to Hermione, in that she to loved school and had wonderful grades.

Hermione pulled her long brown hair back into a pony tail. She was pouring over a book that was called "Le Pouveir". It was totally written in French and she was having a hard time with the translation. She shoved the book away from her momentarily. She had been working on this for three hours now and she had only translated about fifty pages.

Instead of struggling over the French book, she thought back to last year. It is strange how much can change in one year. Friends become distant, old enemies can become welcomed allies and people you couldn't stand before, become treasured friends. Hermione smiled as she thought about how she had thought Parvarti Patil was the most annoying girl in the whole world, but at the end of the year Hermione had actually been upset that she was leaving her behind.

And the bad part of the year where Harry started to withdrawl from her, until he ignored her completely. Now that had been terrible, but somehow it had forced Hermione to be out on her own. Yes, things had been crazy the last year. Beauxbaton had to be, well, not as exciting like Hogwarts had been those first few years. Hermione wiped a tear away. She was getting sentimental again.

She pulled "Le Pouveir" closer to her and started once again to try and translate the text. She looked up once in the next half an hour just to check her watch. She had be in her dorm by five to get ready for dinner. The next time she looked at her watch it was already ten to five and the sun outside was starting to set. Thats the problem with winter, Hermione thought to herself, not enough daylight.

When she got to the girls dorms she threw her heavy book bag onto her bed and sat down, she was waiting for Amanda to come bursting through the door. Amanda had spent almost the whole day with her boyfriend, Charles Bronkley. Hermione sighed she might as well put on her blue silk robe for dinner while she waited. She opened her chest of drawers and pulled the piece of blue conffection out and pulled it over her head. The one change that she had liked from Hogwarts was that it was warmer here.

Just then she heard the rush of wings and looked up as a large Screech Owl was just flying through her window. She recognized it immedaitely. It was Draco Malfoy's owl. The owls name was actaully Hoffer, which Hermione had some how found funny. Hoffer landed softly on her bed and began searching her discarded robes pockets for an owl treat. She turned towards her dresser, opened a drawer and tossed an owl treat to the persistant owl.

She walked over and took the letter from the owl as it sat quietly chewing the owl treat. She unrolled the parchment and read:

Dear Hermione,

Hello! How is your school life going? Mine, well let's just say school is a push over without some one like you to compete with on grades. Since I don't want to bring up any painful memories, I am not going to talk about anyone from the Gryffindore house. Pansy is being a royal pain in my arse. She thinks that I am going to marry her when I graduate. Ha! Like I would do that. And then there is my father, who thinks he can dictate my life to me and not have me argue. What a load of dung! I hope you are fairing better in life then I am now. So how is your friend Amanda? She actually sent me an owl yesterday telling me to get off my fat arse and owl you! Can you believe that? Well I am sorry this is kind of short and pointless too boot, but I must be going,

Tootles,

Draco A. Malfoy

Hermione smiled, thinking, 'what a nice letter'. She hadn't noticed, but Amanda was right. Draco hadn't owled her in almost three weeks. Well scratch that, he had owled her now. She smiled to herself again. Now what to write back?


	2. Broken

Chapter 2

Broken

"You were my sun,

You were my earth,

But you didn't know all the ways I loved you, no,

So you took a chance,

Made other plans,

But I bet you didn't think that they'd come crashing down, no,

You don't have to say what you did,

I already know,

I found out from her,

Boy, there's just no chance,

That you and me, we'll never be,

Don't it make you sad about it,

You told me you loved me,

Why did you leave me all alone,

Now you tell me you need me,

When you call me on the phone,

Boy, I refuse,

You must have me confused with some other girl,

They just confirmed,

Now it's your turn to cry,

Cry me a river,

You know that they say,

Somethings are better left unsaid,

They were all lies,

But if I could only talk to her and you know it,

Don't act like you don't know it,

You should have picked honesty,

Then you may not have blown it,

The damage is done so I guess I'll be leavin',

Go on and just cry me a river,

I don't wanna cry no more,

Cry me a river."

Justin Timberlake " Cry Me A River"

Hermione Granger was at a high in her life. She had a great boyfriend, even better grades and a little sister on the way. How could life get any better, she kept asking herself and then it it would.

She was going out with Ronald Weasley, one of her best friends, and in her opinion, everything that a loving boyfriend should be. He was always there for her, he was the shoulder she fell asleep on, because she didn't have reasons to cry and he just was so sweet.

But a bleak spot in all the happiness had been that Harry Potter, her other best friend, had been drawing away from her and everybody else for that matter. He looked like a ghost of his former self the whole Cediric Diggory thing had really messed with his head and he wouldn't stop blaming himself for it. Hermione was at a loss about what to do about him. He didn't talk, at least not like he used to. He used to be so full of life and very loving, now he was a mere shell with nothing left inside.

But Hermione just let him drift away, there was after all nothing she could do. It was something that Harry would have to do for himself. No amount of coaxing could get him back. All she had now was Ron. He was her life, her world. Without him she didn't know how she would go on and live each day.

It was the night of the second annual Yule Ball, which they were holding in honor of Cedric Diggory. Ron had a bit too much to drink and he began to try and feel up Hermione when they where sitting at a table.

"Get off Ron", she kept telling him and he would stop for maybe a second or two, take another swig of the spiked punch and would have another go at Hermione.

Finally, Hermione got him to stop. They went out to dance to the last song of the night, and immediately Ron began kissing Hermione's neck. Hermione was very uncomfortable. She led Ron away from the dance floor and up a flight of stairs after the Yule Ball ended. They went down a wrong hallway and Hermione stopped to look around.

"I don't know where we are, Ron", she said after looking at the unfamilair portraits hanging on the wall.

Ron slurred something that Hermione didn't understand at all. She walked back towards him and grabbed his arm to lead him back the way they had came. But Ron had other ideas. As soon as she started walking, he pushed her into a wall and pinned her there with her arms above her head. He held her arms with one hand and with the other began exploring what was under Hermione's shirt. She tried to scream, but Ron cut her off in mid-breath with a kiss. Hermione had tears streaming down her face by this time and was trying desprately to push Ron off her.

Then she heard a shout and felt Ron being literally thrown off her. As soon as she was free of Ron, she slumped to floor in a sobbing heap. She heard Ron hit the floor and opened her eyes, which had been clenched shut to block out the sight of Ron, and saw the last person on earth she had expected to see.

Draco Malfoy stood before her, his hand extended in her direction. He had a really concerned look on his face. Ron was laying a few feet away knock out by his encounter with the wall.

Hermione looked frightfully up at Draco. They had never gotten along, so why was he helping her now?

"Are you okay, Hermione", Draco asked grabbing her hand and hefting her to her feet.

Him saying her first name sounded weird, even to his ears and in other circumstances Hermione would have laughed. But the time was now and the she was in the present. She nodded and looked down. She actaully had little rivers of blood on her stomach. She hadn't realized that Ron had been clawing her like that. She looked at the blood dumbfounded. She was at a loss as to what she was going to next.

Her worst enemy had just witnessed her boyfriend and best friend nearly ... oh she wasn't even going to think about what could have happened. Draco took out his wand and cleaned up the cuts on her arms and stomach. He was quite shocked. He hadn't believed the sight that had greeted his eyes when he had stepped down this coridoor.

Hermione was quite shaken as well. Draco could see her shaking like a leaf, and she wrapped her arms tightly around herself and tried to look calm, but her eyes, which as he looked really closely at her, had the scared rabbit look in them.

"Are you sure your alright", he said at last after what seemed like an eternity of silence.

"Yes", Hermione said shakily.

"I can't believe the Weasel would ... Oh, I'm so sorry Hermione", Draco said sweetly.

She looked up at him. First he had started calling her by her first name and then he said he was sorry, this was so strange.


	3. Windy Days Lonely Nights

Chapter 3

Windy Days, Lonely Nights

"Don't look at me,

Everyday is so wonderful,

Then suddenly, it's hard to breathe,

Now and then I get insecure,

From all the pain,

I'm so ashamed,

I am beautiful,

No matter what they say,

Words can't bring me down,

I am beautiful,

In every single way,

Yes, words can't bring me down,

So don't you bring me down, today,

To all your friends you're delirious,

So consumed in all your doom,

Trying hard to fill the emptiness,

The piece is gone,

Left the puzzle undone,

That's the way it is,

No matter what we do,

No matter what we say,

We're the souls inside the tune,

And everywhere we go,

The sun will always shine,

So don't you bring me down, today"

Christina Augulara "Beautiful"

After Draco had cleaned her up, Hermione just ran away. She didn't know how to handle the situation and she she didn't want to.

Draco looked disgustedly at Ron, who was still passed out on the floor. He kicked him and then walked away. Ron could stay there until morning, when he would wake up with a splitting headache and maybe a few bruised ribs. Merlin willing, maybe a sense of guilt as well.

Draco was sick. He had just witnessed one of his enemies taking advantage of a girl. That girl was supposed to also be his enemy, since she was a mudblood and a know-it-all, who had hated him ever since Potty and the Weasel had informed her who he was. And he had helped her.

Why? Well he had to admit he wasn't that evil. He wouldn't wish that on his worst enemy. In fact, he thought it was quite funny that everyone thought he was this cold heartless jerk who had never had a feeling in his life. I mean, he was rude and egotisical, but what had he ever really done that was so bad? Ha! Draco didn't understand why everything hinged on if you where good or evil.

It just didn't make sense. Besides, he took care of his mother didn't he? She was sort of an air-head amd she most often got her self into the messes, but Draco was her son and the only one that would help her.

'Oh well,' Draco thought to himself. He didn't give a damn about his reputation anyway. But this girl she could ruin any good thing he had going for him. The only reason his father didn't just lock him in the dungeon of his mansion was that he thought he was some muggle-hating prick that would follow orders.

Draco was almost regreting what he did. He shook himself. What was done was done, he would just have to await the results. What Draco didn't know is how drastically things can change.

Hermione was fast asleep on her bed. It was noon and all the other girls in her dorm where gathered around her. She looked sickly, her long brown hair a complete mess and her face paler than usual. Under her eyes were dark circles, as if she hadn't slept well and her skin had the clamy sheen of perspiration about it. Everyone had seen how Ron was with her at the ball. Some of them where, quite frankly, worried about her.

"Do you think she's alright", Parvarti Patil whispered to Lavender Brown who was slowly picking all the dirt from under her brightly painted nails.

"She'll be fine. She's Hermione Granger after all. As soon as she wakes up she'll dash off to the library and then that will be the end of it", Lavender said boredly.

"Are you sure", Parvarti pushed, glancing at Hermione worriedly.

"Positive", Lavender declared, holding her nails up to the light to inspect, and finding them spotless, she shoved off her bed and pulled Parvarti by the arm.

"Wait, I want to grab my new shoes, everyone will be so jealous", Lavender said forgetting Hermione entirely and turning around and diving under her own bed to rumage for her shoes. She found them, slipped them on and walked arm and arm with Parvarti down to the common room.

Hermione was left in peace, but for some reason the quiet woke her. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. She was carefree for maybe five seconds, until the last nights horrible memories washed over her.

She felt misrable. She was going to owl her mother about the whole thing. She had always been able to tell her mother anything and although this time it was very painful she would tell her. She opened a drawer in her bedside table and pulled out a quill and a peice of parchment and began to scratch out a long letter detailing everything that had happened in the last week. She left nothing out. She even told about how Draco had helped her. Her mother was not going to believe that. Ever since Hermione had started at Hogwarts, she had come home every summer and told her mother about how annoying, rude, and just down right nasty Draco had been to her.

Her mother had just shrugged and said, " Most boys that go out of their way to pick on you, like you. Most of the time, they like you alot, but instead of affection they are mean to you. It's their twisted way of showing they care."

Hermione had been shocked. She kept trying to assure her mother that Draco didn't care for her at all and that he just got a kick out of seeing her upset or crying. Her mother had just said," I'm only saying".

Hermione glanced down at the parchment and had an idea. She should send a letter to Draco thanking him. After all she didn't know what she would have done if he had not walked down that corridor at the right time.

She opened her drawer again and pulled out another peice of parchment. She moved to sit at her little writing table, parchment laid out and ink bottle at a handy distance, she sucked on her quill, deep in thought for a long time. She just didn't know what to say. Finally, she wrote;

Dear Draco,

I know we haven't ever gotten along in the five years we have gone to school together, and I would like to put that past us. We are mature, we can act civil towards each other, I see no reason why we can't. Fighting really seems petty to me at the moment. I guess it is because I have more improtant things on my mind. I would greatly value it, if you would tell no one of what you saw last night. I do not expect you to keep your mouth shut, what better revenge on me then to tell the whole school? But I hope you don't. I have sent an owl to my mother and when I get her reply I will know what I am going to do. But, and I can not believe I am saying this to you of all people, thank you. If you had not come along when you did I would merely be a shell of myself and of no use to anyone, and then who would you compete with for grades? Well I must be off I have to send this and my mothers letter,

Hermione A. Granger

Hermione re-read the letter again. It sounded alright. She was wondering how Draco would react to such blunt remarks. Only time would tell she guessed. She folded both Draco's and her mother's letters and went up to owlery to find two school owls that would take them for her.

The next day Draco was at breakfast, nervously looking at the Gryffindor table every five seconds and wondering why Hermione wasn't there. Well, actaully, he knew why she wouldn't want to be there, but she had to eat didn't she?

Pansy was just about to say something to him when she was cut off by the screeching and wing beats of hundreds of owls rushing in to deliver the mail. Draco barely looked up. A spotted gray owl landed in his pumpkin juice. Draco looked at it disgusted. Now he had nothing to drink. Then suddenly his frown vanished, it was a school owl.

Now who could be writing to him. He had no real friends. His father had made sure of that.

As it turned out, it was Hermione's letter. Draco opened it with disbelief and looked down at the signature. She wrote to him, and it was a quite lengthy letter for someone who had maybe said all of five words to him at a time. He read it quickly. He didn't want anyone to know Hermione had been writing to him, it seemed too personal for his liking.He folded it up and stuck it in an inside pocket in his robe. He would reply to her later. Right now he had to figure out how to get rid of Pansy.


	4. Moving On

Chapter 4

Moving On

A day had gone by and Hermione was actaully sitting at the Gryffindore table in the Great Hall. She was sitting at the far end, as far away from Ron as she could get. That morning he had tried to apologize, but Hermione wouldn't hear it. She didn't want to admit it, but she was afraid of Ron now.

She had told him in a far and distant voice that their relationship was over. Ron had been crushed. Harry had witnessed the whole thing and wasn't really suprised. He couldn't believe Ron would do such a thing, even drunk. Harry felt horrible for Hermione. But when he tried to comfort her she had brushed him off.

He hadn't been paying attention to her and now he was paying for it. He hadn't meant to push either her, or Ron away. But he had. These days most people thought he was demented, because he didn't talk all that much. He was just thinking alot more and not flapping his lips uslessly.

Harry looked at where Hermione was sitting, just four people away from him. He watched as she kept her head lowered the whole time except to look over at the Slytherin table twice. Harry glanced in that direction. Draco Malfoy, his arch enemy, was sitting there looking at Hermione anxiously.

He knew.

Harry didn't know how, but something in the way Malfoy was acting told him he knew somehow. When Hermione had told Harry what had happened, after he had badgered her for maybe an hour (she was looking so glum and put out he had to know what was wrong), she had just said someone had pulled Ron off of her.

The person that had saved Hermione was most likely the one that was openly staring at her now. Harry pondered this. Would Malfoy actually help a muggle-born? Harry knew Draco wasn't as bad as most people liked to make him out to be. He was just a pushy little brat. But even brats have feelings right?

Draco hadn't believed it when he looked up from that day's Daily Prophet and saw Hermione walking in. She was looking at her feet and her hair was kind of messy, but on the whole she didn't look all that bad. Just shaken, was all Draco could see.

He noticed when she took a seat twenty miles from where Ron was sitting flanked by his kin. She hadn't even sat with Harry, which had shocked Draco. He hadn't noticed, until now, how far apart the trio had drifted. Draco kept staring at Hermione. For some twisted reason he couldn't seem to tear his eyes away.

She looked like a scared little rabbit with a bunch of wolves closing in on her. She had her head down and every once in a while would look around shiftily and take another big bite of her food. 'Well at least she hasn't lost her appetite,' Draco thought.

He hadn't wrote Hermione back yet, the thought just came to him out of no where. He hadn't had the time last night, not with trying to escape Pansy and then being hounded by Grabbe and Goyle, over who would get his extra Chocolate Frog that he had foolishly left lying around.

He would write to her later. He would tell Pansy he had an assignment that he had to research in the library. He knew she wouldn't set foot in that place, so he would be safe to just find a little corner table and write back to Hermione.

Once or twice, Hermione had looked up from her meal and each time her and Draco's eyes had met. Everytime this happened, it seemed like after she looked away, she would sit up a bit taller and she'd lift her head a little bit higher. It was like she was taking strength from Draco. He could almost feel his energy draining away. He was almost willing her to stop and shouting for her to look his way once more, all at the same time.

Finally the meal was over and Draco exited as fast as he could, Pansy at his heels yapping about some girl that she didn't like. Draco really should have been paying more attention, because the girl she was talking about was, in fact, Hermione Granger.

Pansy didn't like the way Hermione dressed; she was too preppy. She hated Hermione's hair; it was bushy and ugly. She hated how Hermione had good grades and the fact that many boys liked her. All in all Pansy just hated Hermione for living, because she was a mudblood; the lowest filth on earth.

Draco just went on ignoring Pansy's rantings. She was stupid, and she wouldn't get the hint that he hated her and that he would rather date a slug than her. Draco turned the corner and just stopped. Pansy ran into his back and clung there whispering in his ear, what ever she wanted to tell him. Draco was looking at something else. Hermione was standing with Ginny Weasley. The Weasel's little sister was patting Hermione's back as she cried into her shoulder.

Draco had never seen Hermione cry. Even after the incident the tears had just sort of fallen out of her eyes. He had said some pretty nasty stuff to her before and she had always just answered right back. But now she was standing there helplessly bawling into Ginny's cloak. It was depressing. Draco took one last look at Hermione's face, which was scrunched up as though her heart was breaking, and walked away. There was nothing he could do after all. She was a muggle-born, if anyone saw him comforting her they would most likely tell his father and then there would be a beating.

"It's all right Moine, its alright. There, there, let it all out", Ginny cooed as Hermione sobbed.

"I need to calm down", Hermione hiccuped between sobs.

"Shhhhhhh, its alright. Calm down, it's okay. Tell me everything thats wrong when you can", Ginny said softley.

Ginny had been frightened when she had been saying something about how Harry had gotten a new broom and Hermione had just burst into tears.

Hermione hiccuped one last time and wiped her tears and her nose on her sleeve.

"Well, I know it was weird when I burst into tears at the mention of Harry getting a new broomstick. Well the reason it triggered me getting uspet was because I just feel so bad. Harry tried to comfort me this morning and I pushed him away," Hermione said, laughing bitterly. "Isn't it crazy that the first time Harry speaks to me in maybe three months and I brush him off. I mean its awful that something like this had to happen just so he would talk to me, he's supposed to be my best friend," Hermione wipe a single tear that had started rolling down her, now rosy, cheek.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Look Hermione, I know I've said it before, but I am really sorry for what my stupid brother did to you", Ginny said.

"Ginny, again, it's alright. It wasn't your fault. I am sorry it all had to end this way.", Hermione siad looking away down the hall where a few younger students where congregating.

"I know. Hey, Hermione you never did tell me who stopped Ron," Ginny suddenly said.

"Oh, now your not going to believe this, but it was Draco Malfoy", Hermione said sheepishly.

At this Ginny laughed. And laughed. And laughed until she had tears in her eyes.

"I don't see why it's all that funny", Hermione said crossing her arms across her chest and pouting a bit.

"I'm sorry Mione, but Draco Malfoy is so rude to you and then he saves you from one of your best friends. Does life get any weirder", Ginny said gasping for breath in between giggles.

At that Hermione had to laugh to. It was quite funny how events had a way of working out.

But Hermione wasn't laughing later when she recieved a letter from her mother.

It read;

Dear Hermione,

I can't believe it! Are you all right dear? I still am in shock that there was alcohol at a school dance. How dare they! If I was a more petty person I would sue. But dear I think the only way to move you out of harm's way and to make the situation better, is if you transfer to a different school. At least for a year, then if you don't like it you can go back to Hogwarts if you want. What about attending that one school you where telling me about, Beauxbatons? Oh honey, I really wish this wouldn't have happened, so that you could graduate from Hogwarts, happy and care free. But I guess that wasn't meant to happen. Your father agrees with me on the school change. I will be owling your headmaster about the matter. Love you dear,

Keep your head up high honey,

Love Your Mum,

Bridget

Hermione's heart skipped a beat. She was angry, she didn't want to go to Beauxbatons, she wanted to stay here.

She got out some parchment and penned back,

Dear Mum,

I am fine mum, but about this whole going to another school bit, NO! I don't want to go to Beauxbatons. They are all a bunch of snobs and the other school I told you about, Durmstrang, that is out too. They study the dark arts and are mostly evil! Do you want your daughter to die young or something like that? I don't want to go, please mum, I beg you don't send me away. I am getting along fine, why ruin my life by changing schools? Please think about this,

Love,

Hermione

Hermione set her quill down and tied her letter to the leg of the owl that had carried the first letter. He hooted happily and flew out the window. Hermione sat on her bed and looked around glumly. She may not like all her room mates, but that didn't mean she wouldn't miss them.

'What to write', thought Draco as he sat at a a table in a far corner of the library. His plan to get rid of Pansy had worked and now he sat alone, stumped about what to write to Hermione about.

He pulled a very wrinkly peice of parhcment out and unfolded it on the table. It was Hermione's letter and it was very creased from the many times Draco had opened it to read it, still disbelieving it was there. He read it over once more before dipping his quill into his inkwell and writing:

Dear Hermione,

We are on first name terms now, are we? You are right we have never gotten along and I think if this would have never happened, I would have gone right along hating you until I gradutated and turned into a misrable old man sitting alone at a bar somewhere. I see no reason either. Things change, so do people. You should have more important things on your mind, like what did your mom say about this whole thing and what does she intend to do? I don't mean to pry or anything I just am wondering. Ha! You have far too much to blackmail me with, for me to tell anyone. If word got out that I helped a muggle-born I would be labeled a sissy and a traitor to my house. Your welcome, Granger. That is strange who would have thought? I was in the right place at the right time, what can I say? I am sorry it took me so long to write back to you, what with my every move being watched by that sniveling wench Pansy, it was hard to get away. Good thing she almost looks at the library as a church. Well, I guess my time of being nice has run out,

Draco D. Malfoy

He smirked as he blew on the ink to dry it. That was a nice reply to her letter. Not too overly friendly, but not all that rude either. Once the ink was dry Draco folded it carefully and briskly walked up to the Owelry to give Hoffer, his owl, the letter to deliver.


	5. Leaving It All Behind

Chapter 5

Leaving It All Behind

"I feel so unsure,

Trembling, you open your door,

Your eyes, glistening,

It's telling me, I'm already missing you,

And this is all I have,

All I have to give,

All I have to give,

This one last kiss,

I know it's not enough,

Thought love would never end,

One more touch is all I have,

All I have,

You said, that we would forever be in love,

And you'd show me a life like I never knew,

Things I could'nt ever of even dreamed of,

But your smile just don't seem the same,

And when you tell me you feel it too,

I'm not sure who's to blame, 'cause I gave everything,

I can't believe this love is leaving me,

Love is leaving me,

And I can't believe what we've come to be,

And I wish I could make it like it used to be,

Can't believe I'm through loving you,

And you're through loving me,

And in the battle of my final tears,

You call out my name, my name,

But it can never be the same."

Amerie "All I Have"

Hermione was crying. She was sitting in a nice big comfortable chair in Dumbledore's office, bawling her eyes out. Her mother was there beside her, patting her hand, as Hermione howled in misery. It had already been arranged that, that day Hermione would be getting on the train and going to France and then to Beauxbatons, her new school. Hermione hadn't realized that her mother had already decided the matter. It had made her very upset to know her life had already been planned out for her. Dumbledore just sat there, not really knowing what to do.

Hermione finally stood up and ran out of the room and on to the Gryffindor common room. She was so upset as she fled back to her room, that she tripped and fell head long into Seamus Finnigan. Seamus helped Hermione upright herself again. When he saw that her face was bright red, soaked with tears, and her eyes where all puffy from crying he put a comforting arm around her.

"What's the matter, Moine", Seamus asked in his thick accent.

"I am going away to attend school at Beauxbatons", Hermione said bluntly, sniffling a bit.

"Oh, and why is that", Seamus said cluelessly.

"I'm sorry, Seamus, but it's for a very personal reason", Hermione squinted her eyes and with the bottom of her cloak began wiping the tears away.

"Oh", Seamus said.

"Bye, Seamus, I will miss you", Hermione said breaking into tears again as she realized this was the last time she was going to see him.

She threw her arms around his neck and squeezed him tightly. Seamus hugged her back.

"You know you could write me, Moine", Seamus said softly as she again wiped the tears away.

"Okay I will", Hermione said and with that she turned and hurried down the hallway once again.

"She's what", Draco declared loudly.

"She's leaving today, Draco, you're finally rid of that stupid mudblood", Pansy declared happily.

"And how did you hear this, Pansy", Draco asked.

"Oh, well you know I have my sources, why do you ask", Pansy said flopping onto one of the overstuffed sofas in front of the fire in the Slytherin common room.

"Who, Pansy. The reason I want to know is that I need to know who told you, so I know whether to believe it or not", Draco said quickly.

"I heard it from Polly Warbell, and she heard it from Lavender Brown and she heard it from Seamus Finnigan, who heard it from Hermione herself", Pansy said triumphantly.

"Oh, so it's true", Draco said shrugging.

"Duh, what do you think I am some kind of lair", Pansy asked sadistically.

"Umm, well actually, Pansy, you are", Draco said pointedly.

"So I bend the truth. There is nothing wrong with that", Pansy said trying to sound innocent.

"Okay. Well I am going to the library, homework you know", Draco said pointedly.

"Ewww, have fun", Pansy said watching as Draco got up and hurried out the portait hole.

Hermione was sitting on her bed in the fifth year girl's dorm. Her eyes where still a little red from all the crying she had done earlier. No one was around and Hermione was feeling a little lonely. Not that she wanted to go into the noisy common room. Where she would get bombarded with questions. It had went around that she was leaving. She had heard the whispers and had endured the stares.

Harry and Ron both stayed away from her. Harry actaully wasn't avoiding Hermione, he was in the library studying , because he was very close to failing Transfiguration. He hadn't heard about her leaving yet. Hermione just thought that he didn't care.

She got up and walked slowly to her window. She was trying not to break down into tears again. It was all so painful. She could hardly look around without having a memory rush to her of some event that had happened in that spot. She looked out her window onto the grounds. She looked quickly at the Quidditch Pitch and choked back a sob. She scrunched up her face and then opened her eyes really wide trying to not let a tear spill. She turned away from her window and looked instead at her half packed trunk. 'Where was she going to stuff all her extra books?' She thought, trying to keep her mind off of more unpleasant things.

That's when she heard a tap-tapping at her window. She turned around and saw Draco Malfoy's owl hovering outside her window. Hermione rushed to the window and opened it wide, ushering the Eagle owl in. Hoffer sat on her bed and stared at her with his big brown eyes, she smiled at him and got an owl treat out of her bedside table. She fed the owl treat to Hoffer, and he took it greedily, while she slipped the peice of parchment off his leg. She sat on her bed and unfolded the letter, it read:

Dear Hermie (Hahaha, sorry couldn't resist calling you that at least once),

Hello. I know you haven't even answered my owl back, so I look like some eager loser, but don't be fooled! I am still the cold heartless Slytherin you always knew. What is this about you leaving Hogwarts? Is this your mum's solution? I'm sure you can't be to happy about this. When are you leaving? And where are you going now? If you say Durmstrang I will laugh at you. Anways, please owl me back before you leave,

Draco

Hermione finished reading and refolded the letter. She dug in her trunk and grabbed out her favorite quill and some gold ink. She sat back down on her bed and using her bedside table as a hard surface, wrote:

Dear Dracie (Hey you call me names; I will have to do the same),

Hi! Well, as I am not remembering what was in your other letter, here's what I have to say. Hahaha you cold and heartless? Why would you be writing if you where? Anyways, yes, I am leaving Hogwarts to attend Beaxbatons (Yes, the snob school). My mum is making me go. I really don't want to leave all my friends behind. Get this; I am leaving TODAY! I was so mad when I heard. Are you in the library? If not meet me there after dinner, please. It will be the last time I see you. I am leaving at ten o'clock tonight. My mum doesn't care if she is ruining my life. I have to go pack my things,

Your Owl-Pal (I guess),

Hermione

P.S. You have to keep writing to me after I leave. You will be the only one who is.

Hermione wiped another tear. She hadn't expected to miss Draco, but he had kind of been a constant in her life. Even if it was a bad constant.

Hermione gave Hoffer her letter for Draco and turned back to her half packed trunk with sad eyes.

Draco was sitting at the dinner table and was half-listening to Pansy ramble on and on about her father's money.

He had gotten Hermione's letter and was quietly waiting for dinner to be over. He had, had enough of Pansy's sniveling voice echoing around the hall. Hermione wasn't there. Draco had noticed this right away, and he knew she must be upstairs in her dorm packing. Draco had thought it was strange that she still wanted him to write to her. But for some reason he did enjoy exchanging letters with the Gryffindore prefect. Somethings in life really can't be explained was his reasoning.

He had also gotten a letter from his father. Draco had burned it before he read it. Whatever his father had to say couldn't be good. So he just got rid of it. He had gotten a letter from his mother a few days earlier warning him that Lucius was very mad at his last grade in Arithmancy. It was just the heads up Draco needed, to be able to know whether or not to read his letters from his father. His mother had always been the mediater between Lucius and Draco.

When Lucuis wanted to beat Draco for something he had done wrong his mother tried to get in the way, until Lucuis hit her, then Draco would be spitting mad and would attack his father. Later in Draco's room he would nurse his and his mother's wounds. That's how it had always been. During his childhood, his father had sometimes had him locked away in the dungoens of his own mansion, or him and his mother would hide away in some tiny cupboard riding out the fury that was Lucius.

Draco was brought back to reality by someone kicking his leg. He looked over at Pansy who was smiling sickeningly sweet at him. Draco looked around lots of people where getting up and heading off to wherever they had to go. He took this as his cue.

"I'll see you all later, I have homework still", Draco said turning away from a pouting Pansy and a confused Crabbe and Goyle.

He ran out of the great hall and up two flights of stairs till he got to the library. He stopped outside and caught his breathe, before pushing the door open and walking inside. He almost ran head long into Potter. Harry looked very startled and dropped all the books he had in his arms.

"Out of my way Potter", Draco said angrily.

Harry opened his mouth as if to say something, then thinking better on it, closed his mouth again. Harry gathered up his books and went back to the Gryffindor common room.

Draco headed over to his favorite table. It was almost in the back of the library and was right next to the restricted section. No one dared to even glance that way. Draco sat down and pulled a book, that he had left there earlier, towards himself. By the time Hermione arrived in the library Draco was throughly engrossed in his book and didn't even look up as she took the seat across from him.

"Umm hello, Draco," Hermione said nervously wringing her hands in front of her.

"Hi, Granger, I mean, Hermione", Draco said finally looking up.

"What are you reading", Hermione said disgustedly as she looked at the book in Draco's hands. It was totally covered in blood, except a tiny spot on the front where she could barely see some black type.

"Oh, this? It's just a book on the twelve uses of dragon's blood. Did you know it was written by Dumbledore," Draco said very much doubting that she would.

"Oh that book", Hermione said her face lighting up, " I didn't recognize it, with all that blood all over it. My mum bought me that book for Christmas last year".

Draco groaned.

"I should have known," Draco said rather darkly.

"Draco, I really don't want to go to Beauxbatons", Hermione said suddenly clutching at the table for support.

Draco looked down at Hermione's hands, her knuckles where going white, and her whole body was shaking. When he looked back up at her face, there where tears in her eyes.

"It will be all right, Moine", Draco said, trying to sound reasurring, as he patted her hand.

"Why'd you call me that", Hermione said suddenly looking into Draco's eyes.

Draco looked away, he couldn't bear watching her like this.

"I don't know. I heard a few people call you that before", Draco said shrugging.

Hermione nodded, even though she knew Draco didn't see it. She suddenly stood up and walked around the table to where Draco was sitting looking at the floor.

She threw her arms around him and kissed him on the cheek, right before she burst into tears and ran out of the room.


	6. So This Is Goodbye

Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING!!!! MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.  
  
A/N: It's that time again. The time when I unleash the horror that is my story on you, naw just kidding. Anways, if you have written a story and would like me read and review it, you can review my story and tell my which story of yours to read. I would love to read new materials. Anways, on with the circus!  
Chapter 6  
So This Is Goodbye  
  
"Of All The Things I Believed In, I Just Want To Get It Over With, Tears Form Behind My Eyes, But I Do Not Cry, Counting The Days That Pass Me By, I've Been Searching Deep Down In My Soul, Words That I'm Hearing, Are Starting To Get Old, Feels Like I'm Starting All Over Again, The Last Three Years Where Just Pretend, And I Said Goodbye To You, Goodbye To Everything That I Knew, You Where The One I Loved, The One Thing That I Tried To Hold On To, I Used To Get Lost In Your Eyes, And It Seems That I Can't Live A Day Without You, Closing My Eyes, And You Chase My Thoughts Away, To A Place Where I Am Blinded By The Light, But It's Not Right, Goodbye To You, Goodbye To Everything That I Knew, You Where The One I Loved, The One Thing That I Tried To Hold On To, And It Hurts To Want Everything, And Nothing At The Same Time, I Want What's Yours, And I Want What's Mine, I Want You, But I'm Not Giving In This Time, Goodbye To You, Goodbye To Everything That I Knew, You Where The One I Loved, One The Thing That I Tried To Hold On To, The One Thing That I Tried To Hold On To, Goodbye To You, Goodbye To Everything That I Knew, You Where The One I Loved, The One Thing That I Treid To Hold On To, And When The Stars Fall, They Will Light Me, You Are My Shooting Star"  
  
*Michelle Branch* ~ "Goodbye To You*  
  
Hermoine was riding the Hogwarts Express back to London. From there she would fly, in a muggle plane, to Paris, France and from there she was going to somehow arrive at Beaxbatons.  
  
Not knowing the exact location of Beaxbatons, Hermione didn't know how long it would take to get there. She was all alone on the train and she felt quite lonely.  
  
She still couldn't believe she had hugged and kissed Draco. I mean they had just barely become friends. Maybe he was just one of those people that made you want to put your arm around them.  
  
She didn't know. But she reasoned to herself she was quite out of her mind with grief over leaving Hogwarts. Maybe that was the reason she had acted so crazily.  
  
Hermione stretched out on the seat. Dumbledore had told her that she should rest on the train because she would most likely get no sleep on the plane. She would arrive at Beaxbatons early the next morning.  
  
Hermione tried getting comfy on the small seat, but didn't succeed. Instead she sat up and picked out a book from her trunk. It was actaully "The 12 Uses Of Dragon Blood", by Albus Dumbledore.  
  
For some reason just touching the book reminded her of Draco and his attempt to outwit her on her last day in Hogwarts. She had known that he wanted to know something she didn't, just so he could lord it over her.  
  
Smiling she cracked the book open and flipped to use number 7; use in the hallucination potion titled "El Dar". The potion's name wasn't actaully in French, Dar just stood for danger.  
  
Hermione felt her eyes droop as she read the book over again for the fifth time.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Back at Hogwarts, Draco was tossing and turning in his bed. He was having a painfully real nightmare.  
  
"Please leave my mother alone", Draco screamed as he stepped towards the hooded figure standing over his mum.  
  
At this the figure laughed coldly and lifted it's hood. Before Draco stood Hermione Granger. Except as she lifted up her sleeve he could see that the vivid tattoo on her arm was that of a Death Eater.  
  
"Moine, what is the matter with you", Draco screamed desprately as Hermione pulled out a dagger with a serpent twisted around the handle.  
  
Hermione grinned malevolently at him, " You did this too me Draco, it's all your fault and now your mother must die, I really hope your happy".  
  
"NOOOO", Draco screamed as he watched as Hermione plunged the dagger into his mother's heart.*  
  
Draco woke up screaming and fell off his bed, to roll around in a heap of blankets. He was panting and his sheets where covered in sweat.  
  
Draco got up from the floor and sat on his bed. He put his head in his hands and tried calming down. It had all been so real. But of course it couldn't be real; Hermione wouldn't become a Death Eater.  
  
Draco sighed and looked at his clock on his bedside table; it was only five in the morning. He knew he should go back to sleep, but he also knew that he didn't want to have that dream ever again.  
  
Instead he got dressed in his school robes and went out on the grounds to walk around. He was just walking around the lake when he remembered something.  
  
In his dream Hermione had been wearing a bracelett on her left arm. As Draco tried to recall where he had seen that bracelette before, it suddenly clicked.  
  
Both his father and mother had a bracelette identical to the one Hermione had been wearing. If Draco was remembering correctly his father had told him that the bracelette meant power, and lost love.  
  
Draco had never understood what his father was talking about when he sayed "a lost love". Until his mother had told him, when he was about ten, that her father had arranged the marraige to Lucius and that she had actaully loved someone else.  
  
Who that someone esle was she wouldn't tell Draco. He had always had the feeling that this person was someone he knew.  
  
Draco sighed, but what could it all mean. He had no idea, maybe Hermione would go to the Death Eaters side after what Ron did to her?  
  
But she didn't seem that depressed. Maybe it was something else that was going to happen. The Hermione in his dream had looked older.  
  
Draco rubbed his temple, it was all to much. He watched as the sun began to rise, and as the sky split into a wonderful array of colors, Draco finally hit on something.  
  
The dream, the location of it. It had been in some deserted place. But the likes of which he had never seen before. It had to be somewhere in France, he could just feel that he was right.  
  
Draco walked slowly back up to the castle, brooding over his thoery.  
  
**************************************************************  
  
Hermione sat on the muggle plane misrabley staring out the window, totally unaware of the havoc she was reaking on Draco at the moment.  
  
A stewardess walked by and Hermione called out to her. But the flight attendent was either being rude or hadn't heard Hermione, because she just kept on walking.  
  
Hermione leaned back into the seat, her arm folded across her chest and a very sour look on her face. She was thirsty and she had asked two stewards already for something, but they had both said they weren't allowed to serve her any food without an adult.  
  
Hermione was fumming by the end of the plane ride. She marched off the plane, turned around and flipped off the steward that was helping the passengers off the plain.  
  
Hermione stomped inside the airport and went to the luggage rack. She watched as suitcases in all shapes and sizes rolled by her. Finally she spotted her trunk and went over and grabbed it.  
  
As Hermione walked along the airport alone, she got the creeping suspicioun that someone was following her. She turned around more than once and everytime no one was there.  
  
Hermione quickly scanned the crowd searching for someone with a sign that she guessed would say "Granger".  
  
Sure enough a rather small and plump old lady, with bright red (A/N: I mean red not orange okay? Like think a fire truck color) hair, was standing near the door, dressed in a bright pink skirt and a huge yellow rain coat and waving a small sign saying "Granger", she was wearing some weird looking tennis shoes and on her head she wore, what apeared to look like a friut basket.  
  
Hermione aproached her rather timidly. The old lady smiled brightly at her and stuck out her hand for Hermione to shake.  
  
"Hi, you must be Hermione! I'm Cecil Nesst and I vill be your Divination proffesor at Beaxbatons," the woman said in a tiny voice that hardly matched her physical appearance.  
  
"Hello, Proffesor Nesst! Umm, how are we getting to Beaxbatons", Hermione asked.  
  
"Call me Cecil dear, vell for now anyways.Vell, ve vill floo there vonce ve get to a vizarding shop, called "Connaise Ton Coer", Cecil said goodnaturedly as she grabbed Hermione's trunk and dragged it out to a big, yellow taxi that was waiting for them.  
  
"It's a good thing it's a veekend, muggles rushing about and not paying real attention to anything", Cecil commented to Hermione, earning a few stares from some people passing by.  
  
"I like your accent Cecil", Hermione said as Cecil helped her shove her trunk into the trunk of the car. (A/N: Or the boot or whatever you wanna say. I think it sounds funny that she is loading her trunk into the trunk.)  
  
"Vank you, actaully I can speak perfect English if I want to, but I like having an accent", Cecil said as she and Hermione jumped into the cab and the driver took off swerving through the packed streets.  
  
"So Cecil, what is Beaxbatons like", Hermione asked.  
  
"Vell, it is very beautiful there and warm. The teachers are good, and contravy to popular believe not all people that go there are snobs. There are onely one or two, no?", Cecil said.  
  
"Yes, I know what you mean", Hermione said relaxing a bit.  
  
"So are you leaving behind you a boy", Cecil asked winking.  
  
"Well actaully no. Well, not really. I geuss you could say I am. I left behind two best friends and a boy that is becoming my friend, but no boyfriend. Well actaully one of my best friends was my boyfriend, but he did something terrible and so that's over," Hermione said explaining.  
  
"Oh, I see clearly now. So vhat about someone you like is there anyone?", Cecil said.  
  
"Well no. I mean other than my ex I really don't like anyone," Hermione said starting to sweat under the heat of Cecil's gaze.  
  
"What about this sorta friend", Cecil said prying deeper into Hermione's thoughts.  
  
"Oh him. Well the story is that we used to be enemys. But then he kind of saved me, so now we are owl-pals. I guess thats what you could say", Hermione said slowly.  
  
"Oh. You know vhat they say, there is a very thin line betveen love and hate", Cecil said knowingly.  
  
"Just ask my husband. We hated each other for the longest time. Then I found out he was mean to me because it was his weird way of paying me attention. We have been happily married for ten years now", Cecil said showing Hermione a huge wedding band with a nicely cut diamond in the middle.  
  
Hermione snorted loudly and began to laugh.  
  
"I would rather become a Death Eater, then marry Draco Malfoy", Hermione said deffiantly.  
  
"Malfoy," Cecil said her huge penciled in eyebrows raising.  
  
"Yes, Lucuis Malfoy's son. Do you know the family", Hermione asked nervously.  
  
"Yes, my sister was once ingaged to Luicuis's brother, Darrien. But it all vent bad and my sister, died of a broken heart, or at least that's vhat I think", Cecil said gruffly raising her voice slightly.  
  
"Oh I am so sorry", Hermione said comfortingly.  
  
"It's alvight dear", Cecil said patting Hermiones hand and looking out the window.  
  
"We're here", she anounced, as they pulled up to a grand looking purple building standing infront of them.  
  
"Muggles can't see this building can they", Hermione asked already knowing the answer.  
  
"No, they see some old rundown hotel vith a Danger sign over the door", Cecil said smiling widley.  
  
"Oh," Hermione said nodding her head and getting out of the taxi.  
  
The taxi driver, who had kept throwing bewildered glances at the two, helped them take out Hermione's trunk, which he stared at funnily.  
  
Cecil gave him his money and waved as he drove away as fast as he could. Hermione laughed shortly and drug her trunk up to the building with the large red sign over it reading, "Connaise Ton Couer", in big gold script.  
  
As Hermione walked into the tiny pub her eyes widened. All over the walls where posters of Harry. He was smiling in some and in the one nearest to her, he was flying on his broomstick.  
  
Cecil saw the look on Hermione's face. She motioned to an empty table. Hermione followed slowly behind Cecil, checking out all the posters.  
  
"I saw you looking at the posters of Harry Potter, have you ever seen him", Cecil asked as she sat down.  
  
"Seen him," Hermione asked faintly before laughing nervously,"I was one of his best friends".  
  
"Oh, how wonderful that must have been. I am a bit of a fan myself. Would you care to tell me; is he down to earth or snotty", Cecil said quickly.  
  
"He is very down to earth. You would never guess he is the one who defeated You-Know-Who", Hermione said quickly as she smiled brightyly, " He is the one that will save us".  
  
"Really, dear", Cecil asked kindly patting Hermione's hand as Hermione shook her head up and down feverently.  
  
"Yes, if anyone can defeat Lord Voldemort, Harry can", Hermione said ignoring the slight gasp she heard from the people at the next table.  
  
"Aww I see you are not afraid of You-Know-Who. You are a very brave girl", Cecil said nodding slowly.  
  
"Actaully I am terrified of him. But Harry always said fear of the name promotes fear of the thing itself. Brave, I am not, just book smart", Hermione said rather abrubtly.  
  
"I see dear, I see", Cecil said smiling warmly.  
  
"Margerite, please bring me the usaul and a butterbeer for my young companion", Cecil called to a short girl with wild brown hair.  
  
"Alright Cecil", Margerite said as she scooped some already used tankards off a nearby table.  
  
"I hope you like butterbeer, Hermione", Cecil said as Margerite heavily sat a huge tankard on the table in front of Hermione.  
  
"I love the stuff. It can be quite addictive I have found", Hermioen said warmly before taking a big gulp.  
  
She felt the warmth and happiness flood all the way to her toes. She downed the tankard in just a few minutes and watched intently as Cecil slowly finished her tea with rum in it.  
  
Finally Cecil finished her cup and left a couple of Sickles on the table for Margerite. She helped Hermione carry her bags to the large fireplace that was stationed in the middle of the room.  
  
"Remember to speak clearly, dear", Cecil said as she lightly nudged Hermione closer.  
  
Hermione nodded and grabbed a pinch of Floo Powder. She threw it into the fire and as the flames rose higher and turned green she stepped into the fireplace yelling "Beaxbatons".  
  
Hermione felt the rush as she was sucked through many fireplaces. She smacked her knee hard against her trunk and snapped her eyes shut as her eyes began to water.  
  
Finally she fell forward. Right into the arms of a rather handsome young man who was standing beside the fireplace a huge smile plastered on his face.  
  
He had blonde hair and big green eyes, and as Hermione's eyes searched his person she realized he must be one of her proffesors. But he seemed so young!  
  
"Vell ello, you must be our new transfer student, I am Eteine DeGent, I will be your new Arithmancy professor", the cute blonde said slowly as he set her on her feet, still flashing her a huge smile.  
  
"Excuse me, but you look to young to be a professor", Hermione said as she brushed off her clothing.  
  
"To tell you the truth I have been a professor for only a year. I am only nineteen", Eiteine said smirking slightly and offering his hand to Cecil, who had just appeared.  
  
"Eteine you better stop eyeing Miss Granger like that and go prepare tomorrow's lessons" Cecil said shooing Eteine away.  
  
Eteine bowed gracefully for Hermione, kissed her hand and left.  
  
"You have to watch out for that one. He is as charming as an eel and just about as slippery", Cecil said watching Hermione's expression closley.  
  
"No it's alright Proffesor. I was only thinking on how much he looks like my friend Draco", Hermione said shrugging.  
  
A/N: Alrighty then that was chapter 6! I am so happy I am writing the chapters quite fast. Please review!!! 


	7. Life Is Crazy

Disclaimer: I don't Harry Potter. If I did I wouldn't be sitting at my putor all day long!  
  
A/N: Hey, hey I am crazy! Haha, jk. It is once again that time when my blonde roots wrap around my brain and squeeze, hahah just kidding. Anyways, I would really like some more reviews. It wouldn't kill you poeple, right? Oh well, in this chapter; Hermione is trying to avoid Eteine who seems to just keep popping up wherever she is and Draco has a little run in with good old Ronald Weasley. Also Hermione and Draco send each other letters. I hope your happy, I am actaully posting this fast! Since I posted like 3 chapters in one day I won't be posting for a while. Also, if anyone can guess what my plot twist is (there are actaully three plot twists) I will send then a first copy of Trying Again - Chapter 8 - Growing Affections!!!! So review, tell me what is going to happen and leve your e-mail addy.  
  
Chapter 7  
Life Is Crazy  
  
"They Paved Paradise, And Put Up A Parking Lot, With A Pink Hotel, A Boutique And A Swingin' Hot Spot, Don't It Always Seem To Go, That You Don't Know What You Got Till' It's Gone, They Paved Paradise, And Put Up A Parking Lot, They Took All The Trees, And Put Them In A Tree Museum, And They Charged The People, A Dollar And A Half To See Them, Now Don't It Always Seem To Go, That You Don't Know What You've Got Till' It's Gone, They Paved Paradise, And Put Up A Parking Lot, Hey Farmer, Farmer, Put Away Your DTD's, I Don't Care Spots On My Apples, Leave Me The Birds And The Bees, Please, Don't It Always Seem To Go, You Don't Know What You Got Till' It's Gone, They Paved Paradise, To Put Up A Parking Lot, They Paved Paradise, To Put Up A Parking Lot, One Night, Listening Late Last Night, I Heard The Screen Door Slam, And A Big Yellow Taxi Took My Girl Away, Now Don't It Always Seem To Go, You Don't Know What You Got Till' It's Gone, They Paved Paradise, And Put Up A Parking Lot, Don't It Always Seem To Go, You Don't Know What You Got Till' It's Gone, They Paved Paradise, And Put Up A Parking Lot, One Night, They Paved Paradise, And Put Up A Parkign Lot, Paved Paradise, To Put Up A Parking Lot, I Don't Wanna Give It, Why You Wanna Give It, Why You Wanna Give It All Away, Now You Wanna Give It, All She Wanna Give It, She Giving It All Away, I Don't Wanna Give It, Why You Wanna Give It, Why You Wanna Give It All Away, Cuz You Givig It All, Giving It All Away, Why Do You Want To, Why Do You Want To, She Giving It All Away, They Paved Paradise, To Put Up A Parking Lot."  
  
*The Counting Crows &Vanessa Carlton* ~ "Big Yellow Taxi"  
  
Hermione sat at a desk in a large classroom. She was hurriedly scribbling down notes from what Proffesor DeGent was saying about Advanced Arithmancy.  
  
This class was actaully quite large, as most of the female population had decided to take it as one of their elcetives. Hermione was actaully sitting at a table with three other girls.  
  
One of them, who had already introduced herself as Amanda James, was taking notes quickly, just like Hermione.  
  
The other two where just gossiping and giggling every time Proffesor DeGent got anywhere near them. The one with the extremely fair hair was Angelina DeCoeur, and the one with flyaway red hair was Jaclynn Sparks, a good name for the girl.  
  
Hermione doubted the two would even pass this class, as they hadn't taken a single note the whole class.  
  
"We had a fling durring the summer," Jaclynn said hushedly as she pulled her wild hair into a pony, "He said he wants to talk to me after class".  
  
Hermione looked up for a second, she had to admit Jaclynn and Etiene would make a wonderful couple. Jaclynn was so very pretty.  
  
Besides Jaclynn was a model for some French witch magazine when she wasn't attending Beaxbatons, and she had a great figure.  
  
Hermione sighed. She just hadn't seen any boys to her liking yet. Jaclynn suddenly noticed that Hermione was half listening in and she narrowed her eyes and started whispering French into Angelina's ear.  
  
On the other side of the room Gabriel Delacour was having a spot of trouble. Proffesor DeGent had asked her to translate the French saying "Love is like magic", into numbers.  
  
"But Proffesor I am sure I had my notes somewhere", Gabriel said softly.  
  
Suddenly Angelina smirked and dug into her bag. When she withdrew her hand she was holding a bunch of parchment with numbers scrawled all over it. She showed it to Jaclynn who looked at them approvingly  
  
Hermione recognized it as Gabriel's notes. She nudged Amanda who was just adding a couple flourishes to her work. Amanda looked over at Angelina and shrugged.  
  
"I don't want to start trouble so soon", Amanda whispered.  
  
Hermione raised her hand. Proffesor DeGent looked over at her and smiled.  
  
"Aww yes, Miss Granger, what is it", Etiene said winking at her.  
  
Hermione ignoring his gesture, pointed towards Angelina, " Proffesor if you ask Miss DeCouer, I am sure she knows where Gabriel's notes are," Hermione said loudly.  
  
Angelina turned around when she heard Hermione's acusastion. She glared at Hermione before turning to the proffesor and giving him an innocent look.  
  
"Proffesor, I have no idea what Miss Granger is talking about," she said sweetly.  
  
"Then what is this", Proffesor DeGent said sternly as he grabbed Gabriel's notes from a back pocket in Angelina's bag. He had seen her trying to stuff the notes there a second earlier.  
  
"I didn't take them", Angelina said trying hard to cry.  
  
"Then who did", Etiene asked.  
  
"Granger did. I know it. She hasn't liked me from day one, she is a trouble maker", Angelina said pointing her long manicured finger at Hermione.  
  
Hermione's eyes widened. She mouthed helplessly as Eteine lightly grabbed her arm and guided her out of the classroom.  
  
As soon as they where in the hall, Eteine turned to Hermione a big grin on his face.  
  
"I know you didn't do it, Hermione," he said sweetly," But, I have wanted an excuse to be alone with you all day".  
  
At this confession Hermione backed away from him. She didn't like the way Eteine could so easily drop one girl and be off to the next. Even if he was adorable when he gave the look, that he was giving her right now.  
  
Eteine grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him. " Hermione, oh Hermione", He whispered into her hair.  
  
Hermione struggled to get out of his grasp, but the effect he was having over her was not good. She didn't want to leave his warmth. He was so sweet, but he was cunning too, he would take care of her, but he is one of your proffesors, Hermione's mind screamed at her.  
  
Hermione pushed Etiene hard. He fell away from her and stood looking forlorn by the wall.  
  
"You do not like me", Eteine asked sadly.  
  
"No, I do like you,", Hermione said nicely.  
  
"Then what is wrong with this", Eteine said grabbing her once more and tracing her lips with his fingers.  
  
"You are one of my proffesors, Eteine. Maybe if I was not a student, and you the teacher, it could work. But not now," Hermione said pushing him once more , but this time she walked towards the classroom door.  
  
"Hermione, please do not leave me", Eteine called after her.  
  
"I have to", Hermione said before pushing open the door.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Draco was sitting in Potions. He was trying to ignore the jerk that was behind him disturbing his peace.  
  
It was Ronald Weasley. Someone should just punch his lights out, Draco thought, as Ron told everyone about how he had slept with some girl from Hufflepuff.  
  
Draco gritted his teeth and added the frog's spleen to the concoction that was brewing in his caldron.  
  
Draco didn't even look up when he heard a crash from across the room. Neville had just melted another caldron. Snape was towering over a very terrified Longbottom.  
  
"Longbottom when I told you to add the pig eye, didn't I say just two", Snape said icily as he waved an empty jar under Neville's nose.  
  
Neville, who was close to tears, nodded sadly.  
  
"Detention, and twenty points from Gryffindore. Class dismissed", Snape said stalking away to his desk.  
  
"It's alright Neville", Harry said sympatheticly.  
  
"Longbottom, you lost us those points we racked up in the last Quidditch match. Don't mess up again", Ron said nastily as he gathered up his books.  
  
"Leave off him, Weasel", Draco said as he came and stood by Neville, who's face was now a bright crimson.  
  
"Oh, so now a Slytherin is going to tell me what to do, is that it", Ron asked rasing an eyebrow and doing an almost perfect imitation of Draco.  
  
"Well, I find it extremely sad when the Gryffindore house can't even stick together against anything. Don't think that I don't remember what you did to Hermione. I can't believe you still waltz around acting like the pompous bugger you are and no one will say it to you", Draco said venemently.  
  
Harry, who through the whole display was sitting quietly at his desk, stood up.  
  
"I can't believe I am saying this, but Ronald Weasley, he's right," Harry said shaking hands with a very shocked Draco.  
  
"Thank you, Potter", Draco said as he walked away shaking his head in amazment.  
  
As Draco headed to his dormitory, he had the weird sneaking suspicion that he was being followed.  
  
Finally right before he got to the portrait of a huge snake, that was the entrance to the Slytherin common rooms, he turned and spotted Pansy walking along queitly.  
  
"Stop stalking me, Pansy", Draco said glaring at her as she came closer.  
  
"I wasn't for your information. I have to drop off my books. Just like you," Pansy said rather nastily, as she pushed past Draco and said the password.  
  
As the portrait swung open Draco looked at Pansy in a whole new light. He had always thought she was annoying, but suddenly he had realized just how petty she was.  
  
"What crawled up your butt", Draco said quizzicly.  
  
"Since when is it custom for you to stand up for a Gryffindore. Especailly Longbottom, he is more a squib than a wizard", Pansy ranted as she walked through the portrait hole.  
  
"Haha. Wait you would rather see him be bullied around by the Weasel than me", Draco asked sinically, following her in.  
  
"Well no," Pansy stuttered, dropping her books on a nearby table.  
  
"Alright then, case solved you are dismissed," Draco said rather comically walking away from Pansy and up to his dorm.  
  
"Draco Adain Malfoy, don't you turn your back on me", Pansy called glaring up at where he stood on the top step.  
  
"I mean it you walk through that door I will never speak to you again", Pansy screamed when he didn't stop  
  
"Is that a promise", Draco called back, spinning around on his heel, sneer firmly in place.  
  
"Yes", Pansy said deffaintly squaring her feet.  
  
"Bye," Draco said pushing his door open and slamming it.  
  
Pansy huffed and walked away muttering curses. Although no magical curse left her lips, her words where effective.  
  
Draco sat on his bed for maybe two seconds, before sighing loudly and levitating himself above it.  
  
It was a trick his nanny had taught him, when he was six. He had loved his nanny so much, that's why his father had fired her. A Malfoy must never have attachments.  
  
But Draco didn't consider himself a true Malfoy. Sure it was his name and everything, but he didn't like what it represented, and having people judge you as soon as they heard it, didn't help either.  
  
Draco laid back in mid-air loving the feeling of floating. He hadn't levitated himself in so long, he had almost forgotten how.  
  
He suddenly got an idea. He was supposed to write Hermione. She had told him to. He was bored and need something to do (A/N: Haha, that rhymed!).  
  
"Acio parchment, Acio ink, Acio quill", Draco said pointing his wand at his bedside table.  
  
The items he called for, flew out of the drawers and into his out stretched hand.  
  
Once again he pointed his wand at the parchment and it straightened and pulled taught in mid-air. Uncorking his ink, he dipped his quill in and began to scratch out a message.  
  
When he was satisfied with his work, he folded the parchment carefully and levitated the ink, and his quill back into his table.  
  
Floating down to his bed, Draco sighed as the weightless feeling left his system.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
"Mails here", Amanda anounced loudly to Hermione. Hermione looked hopefully up from her, well she didn't quite know what it was, and smiled.  
  
Hoffer was winging his way to her, taking his time of course. He flew between her jug of water, and her hot soup and landed gracefully.  
  
Hermione took the letter from him and broke the seal. Meanwhile, Hoffer was helping himself to some of her untouched French cuisine.  
  
Amanda peered over Hermione's shoulder as she read;  
  
Dear Hermione,  
  
How are you? You said I could write you, so I took the liberty to do so. Ugh! Pansy is driving me up a wall. Doesn't she have an off button? (Both Hermione and Amanda snorted at that.) Anways, how is Beaxbatons? Is it better or worse than you expected? Since you left Proffesor McGongall has taken it personally. She is dishing out stiff punishments to people who break the rules (Then again when wasn't she strict?), and she is handing out loads of homwork. Unfair if you ask me. Something amazing happened today, and I know you'd have been proud of me. I stood up for Longbottom! Yes, the Longbottom! I even suprised myself. The Weasel (sorry I will try not to mention him ever again) was bullying him, because he lost some points in Potions. Nothing new there. So I jumped in, and Potter agreed with me. I think that was the most shocking devolpment of the whole thing. Anyways I am bored out of my mind so send me an owl!  
  
Your Enemy, (haha, Owl-Pal sounds to redundent)  
  
Draco A. Malfoy  
  
Hermione smiled at Amanda who had finished reading the letter at the same time.  
  
"He sounds sweet", Amanda said rather quickly, pointing the part about standing up for Neville.  
  
"He is when he wants to be", Hermione said smirking.  
  
"Aren't all guys like that though," Amanda asked cocking her head to one side in a comical way that made her look like a parrot.  
  
"Yeah, true," Hermione said laughing.  
  
"What's true," Someone said from behind Hermione, in a slow French drawl.  
  
The smile left Hermione's face in a split second. She recognized that voice. It was the one and only Eteine DeGent. His unwanted presence made her cringe slightly as she turned around.  
  
"Hello Proffesor", Hermione said as cheerfully as she could muster.  
  
"Why hello, Miss Granger", Eteine said sweetly.  
  
Amanda sat glancing between the smarmy Proffesor and Hermione, who was sitting there glaring at the bench.  
  
"Proffesor don't you have a class in twenty minutes," Amanda said breaking the silence.  
  
"Oh yes, thank you, Miss, umm whats your name," Eteine asked.  
  
"Miss James", Amanda supplied grumpily.  
  
"Oh yes, well I must be off. Good day, ladies", Eteine said bowing to them and hurrying off.  
  
"Well that was interesting", Amanda said looking at Hermione, who was suddenly in a foul mood.  
  
"Yes it was. Why can't the bugger just leave me alone", Hermione moaned putting her head down on the table.  
  
****************************************************************  
  
Draco was walking along a deserted hallway. Pansy was in a rather sour mood, which is why he was walking around instead of sitting by the fire in the Slytherin commons.  
  
She had actaully thrown things at him. No one was more shocked than Draco, when he walked down the stairs from the boy's dorm and was met by a barrage of books and pillows and really anything Pansy could get her hands on.  
  
Draco had performed the Full Body-Bind on her and then just left her on the floor. The annoying wench was getting to be to much these days, he thought to himself.  
  
As Draco stalked around a corner he came face to face with Ron. Draco had a hard time resisting the urge to just spit in the bastard's face, but thinking on what McGongall would do, he thought better on it.  
  
"Where's your bodygaurds", Ron called visciously after Draco as he tried to walk away.  
  
"Maybe they are out looking for your brain", Draco snapped, turning around.  
  
"How dare you, you, you ferret", Ron said stuttering in anger.  
  
"What cat got your tongue", Draco asked smirking.  
  
"Shut up", Ron said angrily lunging at Draco.  
  
Draco dodged him easily and turned around to sucker punch Ron on the side of the head.  
  
"You'll pay", Ron said as he fell to the floor, everything spinning into darkness.  
  
A/N: Hurray, there goes another chapter. I really hope you liked it. By the way, please review on your way out! Next chapter; We skip ahead. We head into the sixth year, where Hermione is quite fond of Draco and Draco is being prepared by his father to become a Death Eater, against his will of course. 


	8. Growing Affections

Disclaimer: Do I own Harry Potter, well maybe in my dreams.  
  
A/N: Hello, my wonderful readers (if your out there). It is once again time for me to update my masterpeice (or my "baby" as I would like to call it). Anyways, thank you for the reviews. I would like more, if that is possible. Okay, in this chapter; It is the end of the 6th year and by now Hermione has something for a certain blonde Slytherin. Draco, well he is certainly the god of Hogwarts. Once again let me say that people who guess the plot (Yes, there is one!), will get the new chapters at least a week or two before anyone else. On with the thing I am trying to call a story.  
Chapter 8  
Growing Affections  
  
"Trying To Be, To Be So Strong, I Look Into Your Eyes, And Say Hello, So Hoplessly, I Wait For Your Reply, Suddenly You Grab Me Close, And Press Your Lips To Mine, You Read My Mind, Every Memory, Every Embrace, Everytime My Lips Touch Your Face, There's Nothing Like Loving You, There's Nothing Like Loving You, Every Single Touch, Their Always On My Mind, Got My My Heart, And I Don't Know Why, There's Nothing Like Loving You, There's Nothing Like Loving You, Loving You, I'm Hoping I'll Be, I'll Be Strong, I Look Into Your Eyes, To Say Goodbye, Alright Then, And As I Step Away, The Pains To Much, And I Turn My Face To See, Your Open Arms, And I Run To You, To You, Every Memory, Every Embrace, Everytime My Lips Touch Your Face, There's Nothing Like Loving You, There's Nothing Like Loving You, Every Single Touch, Their Always On My Mind, Got My Heart, And I Don't Know Why, There's Nothing Like Loving You, There's Nothing Like Loving You, Loving You, Da-da-da-la-la-la, Every Memory, Every Embrace, Everytime My Lips Touch Your Face, There's Nothing Like Loving You, There's Nothing Like Loving You, Every Single Touch, Their Always On My Mind, Got My Heart, And I Don't Know Why, There's Nothing Like Loving You, Nothing Like Loving You, Every Memory, Every Embrace, Everytime My Lips Touch Your Face, There's Nothing Like Loving You, There's Nothing Like Loving You, Every Single Touch, Their Always On My Mind, Got My Heart, And I Don't Know Why, There's Nothing Like Loving You, Nothing Like Lovinng You."  
  
*Amerie* ~ "Nothing Like Loving You"  
  
Hermione sat at a desk. She was taking her O.W.L.'s as it was one of the last days of school. Hermione looked up truimphantly as she handed Cecil, or Proffesor as Hermione was supposed to call her, her many peices of parchment.  
  
"Good job, Miss Granger", Cecil said she looked Hermione's essay over quickly.  
  
Hermione smiled and started gathering her books. Suddenly a hand came down on her nearest book stopping her from picking it up. Hermione looked up slowly.  
  
"So Hermione how do you think you did on the test", Angelina said in a falsely cheery voice.  
  
"I don't know, I know I passed at least", Hermione said warrily.  
  
"I heard you aren't coming back here for school next year and that your going back to Hogwarts", Angelina said interestedly.  
  
"Well yes. I talked it over with my mum and she said that I could go back", Hermione said, all the while a small voice in her head was saying, " and you the reason", but she wouldn't give Angelina the satisfaction.  
  
"Well, I can't wait till you leave," Angelina said suddenly, getting a gaint smile on her face, " Your stench has been contaiminating the halls for way to long".  
  
Hermione didn't even know what to say to that. So she stood stock still, her mouth hanging open form Angekina's rude display.  
  
"No I believe it is you, you are smelling. All your snooty crap has really made everything reek", Hermione said finally.  
  
"Yeah, whatever", Angelina said knocking Hermione's books, that she had just gathered, all over the floor.  
  
Hermione watched, seething with anger, as Angelina flounced away, her nose in the air. Hermione turned back to her fallen books. When Angelina has knocked them over a letter had come out of one of them.  
  
No one knew it was Hermione's secret hiding place for her letters from Draco, except Amanda. It was actaully Amanda that had thought of it. Hermione was sure going to miss her.  
  
Hermione smiled as she unfolded the letter. It was the last one she had recieved. It read:  
  
Dear Mione,  
  
Hello! Your coming back? I promise, Hermione, things will be different. For one thing, you've got me to bug, and then Potter will really go off the deep end when he sees you all spruced up, like in that picture you sent me. Haha, who knew that Hermione, the book-loving teachers pet would get attacked by the severing charm one night. I am only joking, you look better with shorter hair. So do I, if I do say so myself. You have to see my new "do" as I guess you would say. Pansy is crazy! She actaully bought a wedding dress last weekend, when we where in Hogsmeade. She thinks that, "anytime now", I am going to propose to her. My father is also crazy, but I always knew that. In just a month he wants me to take the trails, to become a Death Eater. I am either going to not do them, or fail them on purpose. I don't mean to unload on you, but I'm scared Mione, I really am. My father has litrally gone of his rocker. My mother is really upset, she even begged him to postpone the trails. But he never listens to her. My father has officially moved my mother's things into the dungoen and he won't let her out until I get home. Anways, how is life there? Angelina sent a letter. That stupid little priss. I sent her back a reply telling her that she is an ugly mudblood posing as a witch. I am sure I will get a Howler back for that one. But I have to go and study,  
  
Love (hahahahahahahahahahaha), Draco  
  
P.S. Amanda is crazy too. If she sends me one more letter telling me to get my arse over to your house for the summer, I will set my hair on fire. Seriously!  
  
Hermione laughed as she read the post-script. Draco was funny she had to give him that. Hermione sighed loudly in the seemingly empty classroom. Draco was so good to her. He had even bought her some very expensive and rare books for her birthday. Among them was the original copy of Willaim Shakespeare's play, "Romoe And Juliet".  
  
After hearing Hermione say that she loved William Shakespeare many times, Draco had went out and found that for her. She had been very plesantly suprised, as the package had come at dinner and Angelina had happened to be right there as the Adroit's table was just across from Esprite's table.  
  
Angelina had livid that Hermione had gotten such an expensive thing from Draco. Angelina thought that Draco liked her, but he was always sending things to Hermione.  
  
"Ready, Hermione", a voice said from behind Hermione, making her jump.  
  
Amanda laughed loudly as Hermione whirled around to face her best friend. Hermione glared at Amanda and swept her quill into her bag.  
  
"Yep, I got everything", Hermione said as her and Amanda walked out the door and down the hall.  
  
Amanda swiped the letter from Hermione's hand and opened it. Hermione just stood there as Amanda read the whole letter out loud.  
  
"I'm not crazy", Amanda protested as she read the last little bit. Hermione smirked and grabbed the letter away from Amanda and began stuffing it into her bag.  
  
But a slim hand grabbed at it and tore the letter into many pieces, as it had been folded.  
  
Hermione turned around and her eyes met Eteine's sparkling blue ones.  
  
"Give it back", Hermione said angrily. Ever since her first year in Beauxbaton's she and Eteine's relationship had been rocky, to say the least.  
  
Eteine simply ignored Hermione as he look at the many scraps of paper. Being none to bright, he peice the letter back together again so that the Love, Draco, was on it's own and the hahaha was at the end when Draco had said he would set his hair on fire.  
  
Eteine's eyes flashed as he read the letter. He hadn't known Hermione had a boyfriend.  
  
"What is this Hermy," Eteine asked angrily, as Hermione glared at him for using his hated nickname for her.  
  
"It's a letter from my friend now give it back", Hermione said standing on her tippy-toes and reaching for the little peices of the letter, which were clutched in Eteines hand, that was raised above his head.  
  
"I believe Hermy has a boyfriend", Eteine said coldly, smirking at Hermione as she blushed a deep crimson.  
  
"He's not my boyfriend.....", Hermione began to say, when an evil plan formulated in her head.  
  
"He's my fiancè," Hermione said slowly, her brian clicking as the plan fell into place.  
  
Amanda's mouth dropped open and Hermione could see the hurt in her eyes that Hermione hadn't told her something this big. Eteine on the other hand was down right livid.  
  
He shoved the peices of paper, that once had been Draco's letter, into Hermione's hand and stomped away. Hermione smirked at his back before turning back to a very upset Amanda.  
  
"How could you not tell me, Moine", Amanda said as a few tears fell down her face to splash on her white collar.  
  
"It was a lie, Amanda. Don't worry, I would've told you the second it happened, if it was true,"Hermione said reasurring her, all the while giving her a hug.  
  
Amanda sniffed and smiled. Wiping her eyes and smudging her make-up everywhere.  
  
"I can't believe I was so stupid," Amanda said smiling at Hermione, while Hermione tried not to laugh at her, as her mascara was streaked across her face, making her look like she had fallen into some dirt.  
  
"Come on, let's go fix your make-up", Hermione siad grabbing Amanda's arm and leading her to the bathroom down the hall.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Boring, boring, boring, Draco's mind rang as he sat in History of Magic, taking tests.  
  
Binns sure was a bore. Draco yawned and mentally laughed as he watched the people around him yawn also. Yawns really where contagious.  
  
Draco sat up a little straighter in his chair and rubbed his lower back. He had actaully fallen off his broom during last night's Quidditch practice when a new player, she was the only girl on the team and her name was Daylin Chavez, had rammed into him at full speed while she was chasing the bludger.  
  
Daylin was an awsome player she just need to watch where she was going from now on. She had almost taken out the whole team and many of the other players wanted her off the Slytherin team.  
  
But Draco was captain this year, and he knew that with a little training Daylin would be flying circles aorund the other teams. But he was having trouble getting her to listen, she was just as arrogant, stubborn and cocky as he was, and that is why she bugged him so much.  
  
Draco flipped the page on his test and stared long and hard at the question before him; In your opinion who is the most evil wizard or witch of all time?  
  
Draco wrote down, Lucius Malfoy, and smirked. Lord Voldemort was a real close second on his list, and no doubt everyone else would be putting him down, but to Draco, his father was the greater of two evils.  
  
He actaully served the sniveling bastard. Draco shuddered. With the trails looming over his head, he wasn't to keen to piss anyone off. He needed all his strength if he was going to find a way out of it.  
  
Draco begrudgingly erased Lucuis' name, knowing full well that his papers would be sent to his father, and wrote in instead; Harry Potter. He knew that remark would make his father happy, and it was what most people would think he would say.  
  
Draco glanced over at Susan Bones, who was bitting her lip and tapping her pencil on the desk. Susan sure had grown alot over the years. She used to be a some what stumpy girl with a tangle of red hair that she had always had in pigtails.  
  
But now as Draco looked at her, he realized that she must have had a make- over of some sort during the summer. She was taller, slimer, and she had grown her hair out and it lay in a wild mass of curls, down her back.  
  
Susan felt Draco's eyes on her and turned to look him in the eye. Once Susan would have blushed and looked away quickly, but she had aquired a sense of confidence over the last year and she stared into Draco's eyes, until he finally broke the contact.  
  
Susan smirked and went back to her work. Draco, who was already done, went back to scanning his classmates. This time Draco's gaze came to rest on a girl he had never quite noticed before.  
  
She was rather short, only looking about 5'1", and she was quite petite. She had honey colored eyes and light brown hair that she had pinned up so that a few tendrils fell across her face.  
  
But what Draco found so interesting in this girl, that he didn't even know the name of, was that she looked extraordinarily like Hermione. She even did that little pencil flick thing, that Hermione used to do, that had always annoyed Draco.  
  
The girl turned suddenly to the boy sitting next to her and grabbed his hand. This brought Draco's attention to Justin Finch-Flechley. Justin, who had been re-looking over his papers, slapped her hand away and went back to his work.  
  
The girl looked hurt and she got up, all her work in hand and gave it to Binns, who was sitting at his desk grading some papers. Then she rushed out of the room, but not before Draco saw the traces of tears running down her cheeks.  
  
Draco shoved off from his desk and handed in his work. He grabbed his bag out from under the table and ran to catch up to the "mystery girl". She was to much like Hermione, for him to ignore her.  
  
When he caught up to her, he realized he didn't know what to say. The girl turned around and glared at Draco who was standing there with his mouth open, ready to say something.  
  
"If your going to insult me, just go away", the girl said forcefully, catching Draco totally off gaurd.  
  
"No, I was just going to ask you what's wrong", Draco said shrugging and leaning against the wall.  
  
"Are you sure," She said nastily," I've heard of you, Draco Malfoy, you're the one that made that Hermione girl leave to attend Beaxbatons", she said suddenly recongnizing the rumored "cold heartless bastard".  
  
"Oh really, and who did you hear this from", Draco asked genuinely suprised.  
  
"I heard it from Jenna Iliyia, she is a fourth year in Gryffindore", the girl said pulling her bag up higher on her arm.  
  
"Well, it's all lies. I did nothing to Hermione. The Weasel did on the other hand." Draco said smirking as the girls honey colored eyes widened.  
  
"But Ginny's brother seems so nice," the girl said wincing as her bag slid down her arm touching the bruise around her wrist.  
  
"What is wrong with you", Draco asked noticing the pained expression upon the girls young face.  
  
"It's nothing, anyways, Ron would never do a thing like that," she said turning slightly away from Draco so he wouldn't see her blush.  
  
"You like him", Draco said, as he watched her shifted from foot to foot.  
  
"I don't even know your name", Draco said suddenly staring at the girl who was shiftily looking at the floor.  
  
"My name is Athena Venus Kea Ilythia Hartford", she said slowly drawing out her already long name.  
  
"My, my what a long name you have", Draco said smirking at her.  
  
"So Athena, what did The Weasel tell you", Draco asked.  
  
"None of your business, Malfoy", Athena said in the exact same tone as Hermione used with him.  
  
"Alright then. You know you look alot like Hermione Granger. Has anyone ever told you that?" Draco said as he and Athena walked down the hall together.  
  
"Yes, it's what Ginny said to me the other day," Athena said looking straight ahead and not looking in Draco's direction.  
  
"Yes, well I must be......." Draco started to say before a short girl with blonde hair barrelled into him, knocking him into Athena who gave out a loud cry of pain.  
  
"Watch where your going," Draco called to the blonde girl, who recognized as one of his younger housemates.  
  
"Why don't you", she spat back nastily and hurried off.  
  
"Are you all right", Draco asked Athena, who was clutching her arm painfully and trying to fight off tears.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine", Athena managed to say.  
  
"You don't look fine at all. Whats the matter Athena, maybe I can help you," Draco said.  
  
"Malfoy, stay out of my life. You don't understand at all," she said angrily pushing him away.  
  
"Wait a minute, how do you know I wouldn't understand. Do you even know who my father is?" Draco asked getting mad.  
  
"Yes, how could I not. You are the pampered son of the rich snob, Lucuis Malfoy," Athena said bitterly.  
  
"Oh so thats what you think right? Well that's untrue. I might be Lucuis' son, but for all he cares I could be a prisoner," Draco said grabbing onto Athena's wrist, because she was trying to run away.  
  
Athena let out a low moan of pain and stopped. Draco looked down at the arm he was holding and gasp in horror. Ringed all around Athena's wrist there where scars, and resting heavily on those scars was one of the worst bruises Draco had ever seen, and he had seen some pretty nasty wounds.  
  
"Who did this to you", Draco hissed.  
  
A/N: Sorry that it's sort of a cliffhanger. But I must keep you all in suspense. SO REVIEW! I am hoping that you all are liking it so far, but I don't know cuz I don't have that many reviews. Also, if you noticed I put the house names (that I, of course, made-up) for Beaxbatons. Hopefully if I am right Esprite means bravery in French, and Adriot means cunning also in French. If I am wrong I am sorry. Anyways, in the next chapter; Draco finds out all about Athena. Hermione gets a letter from Draco about Athena. And we hear alot more about Hermione's life. 


	9. How Could He

Dislcaimer: What can I say, hmmm I plead the fifth!  
  
A/N: Hello agian! I am here to give you (hot and fresh out the kitchen) another chapter of Trying Again. Now don't mind me if my spelling is bad in some parts (actaully it hasn't been that bad I don't think) I don't have a Beta and I am always in a hurry so sometimes I don't check over my work (I know a bad habit) and I alot of the time don't see my mistakes from staring at the words for so long. Anyways, I think my titles for my chapters are funny, cuz if you where just looking at them you would think that in this chapter Draco betrays Hermione or something like that, but it's not so. Nope, someone else is the bad guy today. Okay, in this chapter; Hermione is packing up and moving out of Beaxbatons for the last time. Hurray! There are goodbyes and all that good stuff. Then on Draco's side he is trying to help Athena with her uh hum "problems" and let me tell ya she's got alot of them. Well I think that's about it; READ!  
  
Chapter 9  
How Could He?  
  
"All I Did Was Walk Over, Start All Off, By Shaking Your Hands, That's How It Went, I Had A Smile On My Face, And I Sat Up Straight, Oh Yeah, I Wanted To Know You, I Wanted To Show You, You Don't Know Me, Don't Ignore Me, You Don't Want Me There, You Just Shut Me Out, You Don't Know Me, Don't Ignore Me, If You Had Your Way, You'd Just Shut Me Up, Make Me Go Away, Thats All I Wanted, Oh I Just Don't Understand Why, You Won't Talk To Me, It Hurts, Thats All I Wanted, For Nothing, Don't Talk Words Against Me, I Wanted To Know You, I Wanted To Show You, You Don't Know Me, Don't Ignore Me, You Don't Want Me There, You Just Shut Me Out, You Don't Know Me, Don't Ignore Me, If You Had Your Way, You'd Just Shut Me Up, Make Me Go Away, Make Me Go Away, I Tried To Be, It Didn't Seem Wrong, My Head Aches, Its Been So Long, Write This Song, Thats What It Takes, You Don't Know Me, Don't Ignore Me, You Don't Want Me There, You Just Shut Me Out, You Don't Know Me, Don't Ignore Me, If You Had Your Way, You'd Just Shut Me Up, Make Me Go Away, You Don't Know Me, Don't Ignore Me, You Don't Want Me There, You Just Shut Me Out, You Don't Know Me, Don't Ignore Me, If You Had Your Way, You'd Just Shut Me Out, Make Me Go Away, Make Me Go Away, Make Me Go Away."  
  
~ Avril Lavigne ~ "Unwanted"  
  
Hermione was on the grand staircase of Beaxbatons, and she was hugging a very tearful Amanda. Hermione pushed Amanda lightly away from her and shouldered one of her bags.  
  
"I will be seeing you in two weeks when you come to stay. Don't cry," Hermione said putting her arm around Amanda and dragging her closer to the door.  
  
"Yes, but after that you are going to be going to Hogwarts and I will never see you again," Amanda said misrablely.  
  
"Yes, you will! You can always owl me. It's not like I am about to die, Amanda, I'll still be around and you can come and visit me again next summer", Hermione said pushing the heavy doors open and walking out into the warm sunshine.  
  
"Alright," Amanda sniffled as she dried her eyes on her blue cloak.  
  
"That would be our carriage," Hermione said pulling Amanda to a huge pale green carriage pulled by two beautiful black horses.  
  
As Hermione and Amanda pulled their heavy trunks up the three little golden stairs attached to the carriage Amanda reached up and tapped the gold sign, that read " 6th Years", three times before climbing in.  
  
Hermione snorted at Amanda, who's cheeks turned pink. Hermione had never been the supersticuis type, but Amanda, who had a every good luck charm ever made by man on her charm bracelette, was a big believer in luck.  
  
But Hermione bit her lip. She knew that having all her charms made Amanda feel a little bit safer at night, especailly with Voldemort on the rise to power.  
  
It was not so for Hermione, she wasn't exactly afraid of the impending war between good and evil, but she was scared for her own muggle parents.  
  
Hermione was packing her things into a rack over her head, at the back of the carriage and turned as she heard the voice of the one person she wanted to avoid the most.  
  
"Why hello, Hermie! It seems there are no open seats except the one next you," said Eteine in his slick, snake charmer voice.  
  
"I'm sorry Eteine, but that is Amanda's seat and she will be back in a matter of minutes," Hermione said trying very hard to resist the urge to throw-up.  
  
"Oh, alright. By the way, I forgot to tell you before. Congradulations on the engagment, but I must warn you Hermie, you do not know what you are getting into with the Malfoy family", Eteine said whispering it to Hermione, like it was a big secret.  
  
"What I do, what I want and who I see, is none of your bussiness, Proffesor," Hermione said angrily.  
  
"Why Hermie, I was only warning you," Eteine pouted.  
  
"Thank you, now bye", Hermione said forcefully, while pointing her finger at a seat near the front where Angelina and Jaclynn was sitting, staring at Eteine openely.  
  
"Bye Hermie", Eteine said sadly and made his way up to the front where Angelina and Jaclynn where waiting.  
  
Hermione turned away as she saw Eteine bend down and kiss Jaclynn on her cheek. Amanda strode up the isle just then, a big smirk on her face.  
  
"Hey Mione, guess who Jaclynn and Angelina where talking about," Amanda said breaking out into a smile.  
  
"Umm no clue", Hermione replied nonplus.  
  
"Draco Malfoy", Amanda said happily.  
  
Hermione looked up; a suprised and puzzled look on her face.  
  
"I'm confused. What is so great about this and why can't you stop smiling", Hermione questioned.  
  
"Well okay, remember last year when Draco came bursting through the door of Divination class and carried you out", Amanda said grinning as Hermione blushed.  
  
"I remember, he was supposed to be in Hogsmeade, but somehow he flooed here, and wanted to suprise me, because I was so depressed that month, you know with my baby sis and all", Hermione said shivering slightly as she remembered Draco carrying her in his arms.  
  
"Yeah, that was horrible. But do you remember how Jaclynn and Angelina looked at him and you. I thought that one of them was going to curse you," Amanda said.  
  
"Honestly, I don't understand why Jaclynn hangs out with Angelina anyway. It's not like Jaclynn is that shallow, she's pretty nice when she is on her own," Hermione said pointing to the redhead, who sat nuzzling a feiry orange kitten.  
  
"Yeah. Anyways, back to my story. I was talking to James and he is sitting across from them, and I overheard Angelina saying that Draco had owled her saying how he wants her to come to his mansion for the summer," Amanda said making a face.  
  
"As if he would ever say that. That stupid wench can't keep her grabby paws off of him, and he wants none of it. He even told me that he had met her when she was ten and he hated her then too," Hermione said her eyes dancing with fire at Angelina's nerve.  
  
"Hold on Mione, it gets better. So then Jaclynn was looking quite put out, because she fancys him too. So then I told them that Draco was staying over at your house for the summer and so was I, because he is your faincè", Amanda said laughing.  
  
"You didn't", Hermione said gleefully.  
  
"Yes I did. And get this; they believed me! You should have seen the looks I got then. James blocked Angelina as she tried to stand up, I think she was going to actaully hit me", Amanda said amusedly.  
  
"Amanda, your crazy", Hermione said settling into the seat farthest from the isle.  
  
"I know", Amanda said taking her seat as the magical carriage took off for the muggle world once again.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
"Athena come out right now", Draco called loudly into the prefect bathroom that Athena had herself holed up in.  
  
"No, not until you promise you won't tell anyone", was Athena's muffled reply.  
  
"Come on Athena. I promise, I won't tell a living soul", Draco whined.  
  
"Fine." Athena said exasperatingly.  
  
Athena took off the heavy locking charm she had put on the door and peeked her head out. Upon spotting a very pissed off Draco leaning against the far wall; she smirked.  
  
"What's the matter, Malfoy? No one else to bug," Athena said shoving open the door and striding out.  
  
"No, I just thought you might drown yourself", Draco said boredly.  
  
"Oh really, so either you where worried about me, or you wanted to come and watch the show right?" Athena said sarcastically.  
  
"It was definately the latter. I mean you know how girls killing themselves over guys makes me happy", Draco said shrugging.  
  
"Shut it you asshole", Athena said and started walking down the hall back to her dorms.  
  
"Oh, but I can't", Draco said smugly as he noticed Athena limping slightly on her swollen ankle.  
  
"Draco just shut up and help me to my dorms", Athena said raising her arms helplessly towards Draco, making him grin and her to scowl darkly.  
  
"You know you should really talk to someone about Justin," Draco said quietly as he took one of Athena's arms and supported her weight.  
  
"I know, but what do you think Justin would do if I told", Athena said just as quietly, tears silently gliding down her face.  
  
At this Draco went silent. He knew Athena was taking a risk by even talking to him. If Justin saw her like this, with him, he probably would break her legs.  
  
"I'd beat him up", Draco said flexing the arm that wasn't holding up Athena.  
  
"Sure, I'd love to see that one", Athena said dully.  
  
"I could", Draco said deffensively.  
  
"I know you could, but do you really think I want to see you expelled", Athena said getting a little to emotional.  
  
"Fine, fine. Don't get so touchy about it", Draco said, just before they arrived at the Hufflepuff dorm.  
  
"I bet they make you Head Boy," Athena said suddenly smiling for the first time.  
  
"Oh really, I bet they don't", Draco said smiling back at her as he turned so she could whisper the password.  
  
"Then again Potter most likely will get it, since he saves us every year", Athena said sarcastically, before she limped into the common room.  
  
"So true, where would we be without Saint Potter, and his merry band of knaves", Draco said angrily.  
  
"In a box on the corner", Athena said suddenly, causing her to giggle and hiccup at the same time.  
  
Draco looked at her strange, and quirking one of his eyebrows; left Athena to deal with the pain in her ankle.  
  
******************************************************************  
  
'That God damn little bastard,' Draco ranted inside his head as he headed to the library.  
  
He had just found Ginny Weasley, huddled in a corner sobbing her eyes out. Apperantly; from what Draco gathered between her sobs, her brother was forbidding her from being with Potter.  
  
Draco had told her that Ron was dick and that she didn't have to listen to him. Ginny had smiled a little before running off to find Harry.  
  
Draco strode inside the library and sat at a far table. He needed to catch up on his homework, or he was going to fail all his classes. If only he had Hermione around.  
  
******************************************************************  
  
Hermione hugged and kissed her mum and dad, after she got off the carriage. He still had a three hour drive ahead of them, but Hermione was looking forward to the queit time so she could study just a bit more.  
  
"So how was school", her mum asked grabbing ahold of Hermione's father's hand.  
  
"It's was good, like always", Hermione said eyeing her father who was grabbing something out of one of his pockets.  
  
"Hermione, we bought you a coming home present", he said finally bringing out a long blue box with a huge silver bow on top.  
  
"Oh, what is it", Hermione asked, knowing she wouldn't get an answer.  
  
"We're not telling", Bridget, Hermione's mum, said good-naturedly.  
  
"Just open it", Hermione's dad , Alfred, said shoving the box into Hermione's out-stretched hands.  
  
Hermione slowly pulled the silk ribbon off and opened the box slightly, just to peek inside. Her mother and father both laughed and Hermione pulled the lid off to reveal the prettiest necklace she had ever seen.  
  
It was a heart shaped ruby on a gold chain. Suddenly her mother pulled out two more boxes both blue, and both with sliver ribbons and bows on them.  
  
"We where saving them for your gradution, but we couldn't help ourselves. We decided to give them to you now," Bridget said holding out the two smaller boxes to Hermione.  
  
Hermione took them both, set the larger of the two on her lap, and taking the same precedure as last time opened the small blue box.  
  
Inside was a large gold ring with a lion on it, it's eyes rubies. Hermione slipped the ring on her left ring finger and admired it.  
  
"We know how proud you are of being a Gryffindore", her father explained.  
  
Hermione nodded and picked up the next box. She opened it and found a silver bracelette, that was a mix between daimonds and emaralds. Hermione looked up at her parents at the weird color choices after so many things being red and gold.  
  
"Why does this one not match the other two", Hermione asked holding up the bracelette and letting the light hit the precious stones, making the light dance across the ceiling of the car.  
  
"We liked the colors", Bridget said a superior smirk on her face.  
  
"And not at all because they happen to be the Slytherin house colors, right?" Hermione said supsiciously.  
  
"Yes, of course not. We didn't even think of that", Alfred said winking.  
  
"Sure, sure", Hermione said smiling at her parents.  
  
"We're glad you like them, honey", Bridget said patting Hermione's hand and motioning for her to turn around.  
  
Hermione turned and Bridget picked up the gold necklace, she put it around Hermione's neck and fastened the clasp. Hermione turned back around and smiled down at the heart shaped pendant on her neck.  
  
"Thank you so much", Hermione said hugging her mother, and hugging her father's arm, as he was still driving.  
  
"So Hermione have you any dresses in mind for the opening ball, for the 7th years at Hogwarts", Bridget asked, her eyes lighting up at the thought of more shopping.  
  
"Well, after I owled Dumbledore about me coming back to Hogwarts, and he told me about the ball, I was thinking a nice long red dress, with gold accents maybe, but then I don't know, I am thinking maybe a purple or something else", Hermione said shrugging and leaning back into her seat.  
  
"Purple would be nice with gold trimmings", Alfred said.  
  
"Yes, yes, that would be wonderful, after all purple is a royal color", Bridget said clapping her hands together like a small girl.  
  
******************************************************************  
  
"Well, well if it isn't ferret boy", Ron said coldly as Draco walked past him to go into the last class of the school year, Potions.  
  
Draco spun around and unleashed on Ron what had been pent up all week. In other words, Draco lunged at Ron knocking him down, sat on top of him and began punching him in the face.  
  
Draco was blinded by his rage, and didn't even notice when ther where shouts from Proffesor Snape and the many students who where standing around. Snape walked forward and picked Draco up by his collar.  
  
Snape turned away from the heap on the floor, who was Ronald Weasley and drop Draco hard on his butt. Draco stopped moving and sat very still, except that he was shaking quite terriblely..  
  
"What is the meaning of this Mr. Malfoy", Snape asked pointing to Ron, who was just getting back up on his feet.  
  
"He started it Proffesor," Draco said very shakily.  
  
"Weasley, why did you prevoke Mr. Malfoy", Snape said turning on the Gryffindore.  
  
"But Proffesor, all I did was call him ferret boy and he attacked me", Ron said angrily putting a hand under his bloody nose.  
  
"Be that as it may, twenty points from Gryffindore for fighting Weasley, and be happy it isn't more", Snape said icily.  
  
"B-b-b-ut, Proffesor", Ron stuttered angrily, turning a bright red.  
  
"Ten points, Weasley, and if you don't get into that class room it will be fifty", Snape said raising his voice with each word, until he was shouting it.  
  
Ron hung his head and walked inside the classroom, followed by the rest of the class, leaving Draco alone with Snape.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, I know that you wouldn't beat up Mr. Weasley simply for calling you a stupid name", Snape said stroking his chin in thought.  
  
"You still hold a grudge against him for what he did to Mrs. Granger", Snape said.  
  
"How did you....", Draco began to say before he was cut off by Snape.  
  
"The whole staff knows, we are arranging it so, next year, Mrs. Granger will have her own room, and she will have no classes with the Gryffindores. We don't want any run-ins if you know what I mean", Snape said chuckling slightly at the horrified look on Draco's face.  
  
"Oh, honestly, Draco. Think of what Mrs. Granger could do to Mr. Weasley, if she was armed with a wand. You and I both know how advanced she is", Snape said smirking at the thought of Ron getting his arse kicked by a girl.  
  
Draco smiled at this thought too and got back to his feet. Snape smiled at him for a second, before ushering him into the awaiting classroom.  
  
A/N: Well that went in it's entirely own direction. Anyways, please review. It have updated two chapters in the last 3 or 4 days, so please please review!!!! I will be updating soon, so don't worry. In the next chapter; Hermione relaxes in her own sort of mansion. Also Draco is back home and being bullied by his father. 


	10. Fussy Boots

Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, it wouldn't be called Harry Potter now would it?  
  
A/N: Thank you so much to the people who took the time to review, it means alot to me. Although one review, I understood what the person was saying, I just think after all, this is MY story and things I think are needed for the plot people may not see. Anyways, still no one has even tried to guess the plot twists. So please if you would like all the chapters e-mailed to you before anyone else, please, oh please, review and tell me what you think are the plot twists, alright. I decided that Hermione would have a big house, owing to both her parents being dentists, you have to know that dentist have nice big houses. Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 10  
Fussy Boots  
  
"When Your The Best Of Friends, Having So Much Fun Together, Your Not Even Aware, Your Such A Funny Pair, Your The Best Of Friends, Lifes A Happy Game, You Could Clown Around Forever, Neither One Of You Sees, Your Natural Boundaries, Lifes One Happy Game, If Only The World Wouldn't Get In The Way, If Only People Would Just Let You Play, They Say Your Both Being Fools, Your Breaking All The Rules. They Can't Understand, The Magic Of Your Wonderland, When Your The Best Of Friends, Sharing All That You Discover, When These Moments Have Passed, Will Their Friendship Last, Who Can Say, There's A Way, Oh, I Hope It Never Ends, Cuz Your The Best Of Friends."  
  
~ The Fox And The Hound "Best Of Friends"  
  
Hermione was laying in her backyard on a hamock, that her father had put up for her arrival. She had already put all her things away, and her mother was making chocolate chip cookies in the kitchen.  
  
Yep, life was back to normal, at the Granger house. Hermione had a rather large book entitled, "Defence Spells, Be Prepared For The Worst", by Bathilda Bagshot, propped up on her stomach.  
  
Hermione winced slightly as she shifted in the hamock, she had scraped the back of her leg on the car when she was getting out, and now she had a rather large and ugly red wound on her leg.  
  
"Hermione, the cookies are almost done, and there is an owl here for you", Bridget called out the back door of Hermione's four story Tudor home.  
  
Although Hermione's house didn't quite meet Draco's mansion, it was not to shabby. Both her parent's being dentists really made Hermione be able to afford whatever she liked really.  
  
Hermione sighed, sat up, tucked her book under her arm and made her way through the back garden and into the spacious kitchen. The Dursleys, if they ever met the Grangers, would have loved them.  
  
Their entire house was gleaming from the spriging cleaning, their maid, Rosie had given it, and as Hermione sat on a wooden stool, by the counter, she smelled the scent of cleaning products still lingering in the air.  
  
"Rosie want's to know if you want anything washed, dear", Bridget said as she, wearing an oven mitt, pulled out a steaming pan of delicious looking cookies.  
  
"Alright, just tell her to wash all my clothes in my trunk", Hermione said as she eyed the owl sitting on her mother's clean counter.  
  
Hoffer gave a dignified hoot and glared at Hermione as she took a cookie from her mother. Hermione smirked at the owl and took a big bite, making sure to wafted the scent towards Hoffer.  
  
"Why are you teasing that owl, just hurry up and take it's letter, I don't want, bird droppings and feathers in my house", Bridget said wrinkling her nose up at the thought.  
  
"Alright mom", Hermione said grabbing a thick hand towel from beside the sink and wrapping it around her arm.  
  
"Hoffer", she crooned as she set a tiny bit of her cookie on the towel and held her arm out towards him. Hoffer looked at her skeptically for a second, before gliding to her on his long wings.  
  
As Hoffer sat contentedly on Hermione's arm munching the cookie, Hermione pushed open the back screen door and went back out into the sunshine. She went over to the hamock and sat carefully on it.  
  
Hoffer didn't even pay attention, until Hermione began to take the letter from him. Then he began to hoot, clutched the letter just a bit tighter, so Hermione couldn't get it.  
  
Hermione stopped what she had been doing and glared ruthfully at the owl. Hermione grabbed the second cookie she had put into her pocket and gave it to Hoffer, who ate it quickly, hooting happily.  
  
Hoffer dropped the letter in Hermione's lap and took off for home. Hermione muttered,"Prissy owl", before ripping open the letter. Of course it was from Draco and today, he had quite alot he wanted to say;  
  
Dear Mione,  
  
Hello! Well I am in high spirits, my Death Eater trail was canceled, because Voldemort is going to be planning something else. Most likely trying to capture Potter, for the seventh time. You'd think after so many faluires he would give up. Haha, that reminds me, Pansy is a Death Eater! I found out on the train home when she basically attacked me and tried to kiss me. She said that she took the trials earlier that year and that as soon as I take mine we will be married. I was like, "Umm, right, didn't you forget something, like that I don't like you at all". It was quite hilarious. I think she shall be sending me a Howler soon. So how is your summer going, well I mean, it just started, but how is it thus far? Amanda owled me yesterday. She says that she really misses you and can't wait till she goes over to your house. I feel so left out! I didn't even get invited. My summer is going to suck. I will be stuck at home, with father, and I will have to studie up for the trails, and most likely father will invite Pansy to come and stay, seeing as she is "the one" for me. God people are so blind, and stupid! Athena is doing all right. She got your owl, and wouldn't stop going on about it. I think she really needs a good girl friend. As I am just to self-invovled to do the job. Actaully she is coming over in a week or two. Since she is a pureblood, my father doesn't mind. Goddamn racist. I wanted for you to come over, but I am really having a hard time figuring out how to arrange that. Maybe I'll say I am going to Athena's for a week and we both could come to your house. Hmm, might work. Anyways, I'll get back to you with that. I have to go tea time with mother,  
  
Your Enemy,  
  
Draco  
  
P.S. I want some of your mother's cookies! You told me how good they where, so now I want some, please?  
  
Hermione snorted. That little pig, he was just like all guys, all they thought about was food. Hermione folded the letter back up and slipped it into one of her pockets. She would write Draco back later. Right now she wanted to do some gardening.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Draco was sitting in the second dinning room with his mother sipping on the bitter concoction that she called tea. The room although not being the grandest of the three dinning rooms that were at Malfoy Mansion, was finely decorated.  
  
It was his mother's favorite room. The walls where a mint green and all the furniture was black. The seat backs to the chairs where a darker green, there was a nice tapestry picturing Circe, in all her glory, adorning one of the walls and a beautiful Chinese rug, with mint lotuses on it, lay across the wooden floor.  
  
"Draco, will you be staying with any friends this summer", Narcissa asked putting a lemon in her already strong tea.  
  
"Well, I was thinking of staying at Athena Hartford's for a week or two, maybe at the end of July", Draco said taking this opprotunity to ask for permission.  
  
"The Hartfords? Aren't they that nice couple from Surrey that have seven kids", Narcissa said, she was talking about the Morgan's, a family she had met at one of Lucius' dinner partys.  
  
"No mother, you've never met the Hartfords", Draco said, thanking his lucky stars that she hadn't.  
  
"Oh, your right", Narcissa said, giving Draco a puzzled look as she tried to remember who she was thinking of.  
  
"So can I go", Draco asked hopefully.  
  
"What, but you said you'd have tea with me", Narcissa said startled and looked at Draco wildly.  
  
Draco sighed and patted her hand. This morning, his father had hit his mum, and she had fallen and hit her head on the dresser in their room, so she was still a bit out of it.  
  
"I know mum, I am staying for tea, but I want to go to Athena Hartford's for a week or two", Draco said slowly, as if he were talking to a small child.  
  
"Alright then dear, but not until July, you just got back. I want some time with my son", Narcissa said as Draco rolled his eyes.  
  
"Okay, mummy", Draco said knowing that calling her that would make her smile.  
  
Sure enough Narcissa's face broke into a beautiful grin and she brushed her long blonde hair back from her face. She grabbed one of the crossants from the small china plate in the middle of the table and began to butter it.  
  
Draco sat there sadly watching as his mother gleefully went about getting a scone. She was so much like a child. He had grown up quicker than he would have ever liked too, due to him having to immedaitly become his mother's nurse after fights.  
  
He grabbed for his tea, and took a long swig of the bitter substance, which matched his mood at the moment.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Hermione lay in bed, crying as she listened to her mother, softly crooning to her little sister, Keyelle. Keyelle was born prematurely, and she had many medical problems.  
  
It broke Hermione's heart just to look at her, she was so small and she always had those funny tubes running through her nose. She even had her own nurse in case she went into shock in the middle of the night.  
  
Fortunately that hadn't happened. Hermione dried her tears on her pillow, rolled over onto her back and looked around her room. Her room was huge, and the walls where a light with the glow of the moon, which was seeping through her curtains.  
  
The summer before, she had insisted that they re-decorate her room. The walls where a dark purple, with all the trim red, while her ceiling was a rich blue. Her adjoining bathroom was done in all yellow, and her closet was painted lime green.  
  
She had a light purple down comforter across her bed and all her furnature had been spray painted gold. Over-all she was very happy with the drastic change of her room. It used to be light blue and white, white everywhere.  
  
After spending so much time at the hospital, because of Keyelle, white was Hermione's least favorite color. She was glad when she rid herself of it.  
  
Hermione sat up and turned to her side table, after rumaging through it for a few seconds, she found what she was looking for. It was a red phote album with the Gryffindore Lion on the front, it had been a Christmas gift from Harry in her 5th year.  
  
She opened it up and peered inside at the old photos she had in there. There was a picture of her with her mother, who was holding little Keyelle, and her father. They where standing in front of their house and they all had tired smiles on their faces.  
  
Hermione flipped the page and saw a picture of her, Harry and Ron when they where in third year, Colin had taken it and had given it to Hermione. As Hermione looked closer, she realized that someone with extremely blonde hair was standing right behind her.  
  
Hermione pressed her nose against the old photo and laughed as she saw the look on Draco's face. He was standing directly behind Hermione and he kept pointing to her and smiling, then she watched as Ron turned around to sock Draco for something he had just said.  
  
Draco ran and off, Ron in hot pursuit. Hermione could tell Draco was laughing. Her picture self stared after them, then stomped her foot and followed Harry as he walked slowly toward the direction in which Ron had just dissapeared.  
  
Hermione set her photo album back down on her bedside table and smirk in the darkness. Angelina would never get what she had. Hermione didn't even know why she was thinking of that wench at the moment, but that thought just came to her.  
  
Hermione lay back down and immedaitly fell asleep.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
It was a bright and sunny day at the Malfoy Mansion and Draco was enjoying none of it. His father had aproached him earlier about the whole Death Eater issue.  
  
It had all resulted in a big fight, and Draco now had a hint of a black eye, showing up on his pale skin. Draco sat in the middle of the small orchard that bordered the edge of the Malfoy property.  
  
He was sulkily listening to the birds chirping as they picked at the green apples that adorned the trees. His father was such a cowardly bastard. Draco had told him that he wanted a different life, then that of a Death Eater.  
  
Lucuis would have none of it. Draco was his heir and if he didn't join He- Who-Must-Not-Be-Named would look badly on the good Malfoy name. Draco was seething. How could his father just sell him down the river like this.  
  
Draco knew that his father never had cared for him. He was never really a good father, but Draco had excpected him to at least listen to his wishes, for his future.  
  
Not just sweep him aside like an unruly puppy. Narcissa was holed up in her room. Afraid of Lucuis' rath, now that he was in a fowl mood. Draco leaned his back against the closest tree.  
  
Hermione was going to hear all about this. As soon as Draco went back inside that hell-hole he would write to her. Things where more drastic now. Draco really needed to get away from his greedy father for a while.  
  
**************************************************************  
  
Later that afternoon, as Draco sat inside his room, listening to angry music. Narcissa came in, wearing a beatiful green cloak with silver stars across it, and she was pulling on her silver traveling gloves.  
  
"Where you going, mother", Draco asked as he turned off the music with a flick of his wand.  
  
"Shopping, Draco," Narcissa said briskly,"There has been a change of plans, you are going to have to go to the Hart's house earlier than I expected. I am going to be gone for two weeks".  
  
"Alright , mum", Draco said not to keen to argue about the Hartford's name, and quite happy about the change.  
  
"Owl her immedaitly", Narcissa ordered, grabbing some green ink, his quill, and a peice of parchment from off his dresser and handing it to him.  
  
Draco nodded and quickly wrote Athena a note. He signed it and hand it to his mother.  
  
"Did you say we were arriving by Floo Powder", she asked.  
  
"No", Draco said as he grabbed a warm cloak and his trunk and began to pack his things.  
  
"Well I'll add that in the post-script", Narcissa said grabbing his quill and adding in what she wanted to say.  
  
"Alright that's everything", Draco said slamming his trunk shut and heaving it off his bed.  
  
"Did your remember to pack clean underwear, dear", Narcissa asked sweetly.  
  
"Mother," Draco said exasperatedly.  
  
"It was just a suggestion", she said shrugging and following him out of his room and onto the landing.  
  
"Who are you staying with", Draco asked, as he drug his heavy trunk down the stairs.  
  
"Well the McNairs actaully. Milly McNair and I are going shopping in Hogsmeade." Narcissa said happily. She rarily got to go out shpping. So when she did, she would spend at least a thousand Galleons or more.  
  
"Oh", Draco said nodding his head and pushing open the door to the third floor parlor.  
  
"I need to remember to get some more Floo Powder, we only have a tiny bit left", Narcissa said as she looked inside the delicately painted vase she held.  
  
Draco said nothing and taking bit of the powder and pushing his trunk in beside him, stepped into the fireplace and shout, " The Hartford's".  
  
Draco immedaitly felt like he was going to be sick. No matter how many times he had traveled by Floo Powder, he would never be used to it. Draco spun faster and faster until the air rushing through his now disheveled hair stopped and he fell forwards into the Hartford's kitchen.  
  
Athena was lounging at the counter and smirked as she watched Draco swipe at the soot in his hair, on his face, and on his cloak. Draco looked around him. The entire room was black.  
  
The counter top was black, the cupboards where black, even the walls where black. The only non-black color in the whole room was the white curtains, the white daisys, that where perched beside Athena and the seat covers for the stools.  
  
Athena even matched her room, she was wearing all black, except a white tie, that he supposed was supposed to make her look punk.  
  
"So what took you so long", Athena asked boredly as she bit into an apple.  
  
"I had to pack my things," Draco explained.  
  
"Oh right, here I'll have them brought upstairs, BEEBLES", Athena said shouting the name of some unkown person.  
  
A tiny little house-elf came bounding into the room. She was wearing the customary tea towel and she had a small, button like nose, dwarfed by the size of her enormous green eyes and her head was shaped sort of like a pear.  
  
She was the cutest house-elf Draco had ever seen and he bent closer to her, to get a better look. The little elf stuck out her tongue and wiggled her ears at Draco.  
  
"Beebles, that's enough. Take this trunk up to the guest room, please", Athena said pointing at Draco's trunk that sat in front of the fireplace.  
  
"Yes, miss Beebles will do as you say", came the high pitched squeak from the tiny creature.  
  
Beebles snapped her fingers and the trunk flaoted up into the air. Draco watched Beebles directing the trunk into the hallway, a few seconds more, then he turned back to Athena.  
  
"So have you owled Hermione", he asked stiding over to sit on the stool beside Athena.  
  
Athena's eyes lit up and she nodded, losing her aloofness for a few tiny seconds. Draco smirked and poked Athena's tiny waist.  
  
"Ahh, don't play with my fat", Athena said swatting his hand away, her nose wrinkled up in disgust.  
  
"Like you have any", Draco retorted pointing his affending finger at the tiny bit of flesh showing, between her pants and her shirt.  
  
"Oh get stuffed", Athena said pushing off from the stool and walking out into the hallway.  
  
"I would look awfully good on your mantle, now wouldn't I", Draco said smugly as he followed Athena.  
  
"Only you would think of such a comment as flattery", Athena said shaking her head.  
  
"Well they always said I was a specail child", Draco said nodding his head.  
  
"And they sure got it right", Athena said, just realizing that while they had been talking they had arrived at the door to her room.  
  
"This is my room", she said opening the door and throwing out her arms dramitically.  
  
"Wow, has it always been, this....... red", Draco asked. He was blinded by the crimson color that was splashed on every item in Athena's abode.  
  
"Well actaully it's a charm. Mother put it on for me when I was little. As soon as you stick a foot over the threshhold, your clothes will turn red. I always have it charmed with my latest favorite color", Athena explained.  
  
"So right now it's red", Draco asked suspicious about her color choice.  
  
"Well actaully Ginny was just over, so I changed it. It was green", Athena said smirking as she saw the nod of approval from Draco.  
  
"I see", Draco said turning away from Athena's room as he heard a crash on the stairs.  
  
"Oh that would be my little brother, Jolie," Athena said, upon seeing the suprised look on Draco's face.  
  
"I didn't know you had a brother", Draco said a little miffed that she had never told him this detail.  
  
"Well, he's a royal pain. I like to try and forget that I am related to him. Be happy that you are only staying here a night, so you won't have to live through the terror that is Jolie Hartford", Athena said in all seriousness.  
  
"Your joking right", Draco said, suprised that Athena was so mean about her little brother.  
  
"No, I am being entirely truthfully", Athena said shrugging her shoulders unsympethically.  
  
"So why is his name Jolie", Draco asked changing the subject, but only slightly.  
  
"Well it's short for Joliethe Teagen Zars Montiga Hartford," Athena said laughing slightly.  
  
"So your parents have a thing for long names don't they", Draco said.  
  
"Well, they both have three middle names, too. They decided to pass that on to us, I guess", Athena said kicking the wall infront of her slightly.  
  
"Very cool", Draco said sarcastically.  
  
"Oh let me tell ya", Athena said half smiling as she led him to a side door that led into their backyard.  
  
A/N: I was having problems finding a place to stop in this chapter. I really hope you all liked it, but I won't know until you review. SO PLEASE REVIEW! 


	11. Summer A Time Of Relaxation Not!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, so don't sue!  
  
A/N: Hello my pretties *muhahahaha*. I'm here once again, (when am I not here?) to bring you the latest chapter in Trying Again. Hoepfully you all like it as much as I do. Well I am not giving anything away for this chapter. You'll just have to read it!  
Chapter 11  
Summer; A Time Of Relaxation...... Not!  
  
"We're On The Top Of The World, You And I, We Got Alot Of Time, And It Sure Feels Fine, Cuz You Reached In Your Pocket, And Pulled Out A Pass, That Says, You Can Take Me Anywhere, Sha-La-La-La-La, Sha-La-La-La-La, Sha-La-La-La-La, Sha-La-La-La-La, We're On The Top Of The World, You And I, We Got Lot Of Time, And It Sure Feels Right, Look I'm Running Behind You, Look I'm Running With You, Sha-La-La-La-La, Sha-La-La-La-La, Sha-La-La-La-La, Sha-La-La-La-La, We're At The Top Of Then World, You And I, We Got Alot Of Time, And It Sure Feels Right, Cuz You Reached Your Pocket, And Pulled Out A Pass, You Can Take Me Anywhere, You Can Take Me Anywhere, You Can Take Me Anywhere, You Can Take Me Anywhere, You Can Take Me Anywhere, Sha-La-La-La-La, Sha-La-La-La-La, Sha-La-La-La-La, Sha-La-La-La-La, Yeah-e-Yeah-e-Yeah, You Can Take Me Anywhere, Yeah-e-Yeah-e-Yeah, You Can Take Me Anywhere, Yeah-e-Yeah-e-Yeah, You Can Take Me Anywhere, Sha-La-La-La-La, Sha-La-La-La-La."  
  
~ The Juliana Thoery - "Top Of The World"  
  
Hermione woke up the next morning, feeling quite refreshed and perky. She got out of bed, picked out her clothes for the day and headed into her cheery bathroom.  
  
She turned on the water, stuck her hand under it to test the tempature and then stripped down to her birthday suit. She jumped into the shower, her back immedaitly relaxing as the hot water hit it.  
  
She opened the shower door and turned her muggle radio on full blast. She didn't exactly know the song that was on so she just mumbled the words.  
  
"You are crazy.... blah, blah, Everyday... blah, blah", Hermione sang, laughing at herself.  
  
The song ended and so did Hermione's shower. She jumped out, wrapping a large red, and fluffy towel around herself. She wiped of the mirror which was all fogged up and looked at herself in the mirror.  
  
Her hair, which was naturally curly when dry, was hanging down in wet tendrils to just above her shoulders. Draco had been right when he had said she looked different.  
  
She looked much older, and sophisticated with her hair like this. She tentively grabbed a brushed and pulled it through her soft hair. She had just gotten this new shampoo and it made her hair silky and shiny.  
  
She parted her hair and began to French braid the left side of her hair. She braided it until she got to top of her head (A/N: Think the back of your head that's the top. Confusing, huh?) then she put a rubber band around it and started on the other side. Amanda had taught her how to French braid last summer.  
  
It had been a thing Hermione picked up quite easily. Being able to French braid her own hair in a matter of weeks. Hermione put a rubber band on the second braid and surveyed her work.  
  
It looked alright, so she gather all her hair into a pony and then into a bun. She looked at her handy work one more time, before she got dressed. When she stepped out of her bathroom, steam billowed out from behind her and she heard a giggle from across her room.  
  
She looked at her bed and there sitting on it, where Draco and Athena. Hermione started at them dumbstruck for a moment, before her legs found strength and she was hurtling into Draco, gathering him into a big hug.  
  
"I didn't know you guys where coming", Hermione said after she had let go of Draco, who was rubbing his ribs, and glowering at her.  
  
"Well, we wanted to suprise you, so we asked your mother and she said it was alright", Athena said standing up from the bed and hugging Hermione also.  
  
"Well, you certainly suprised me", Hermione said standing back from Athena who was eyeing Hermione's hair.  
  
"I like your hair, how did you do that," Athena said walking around Hermine and closely studying the braids.  
  
"It's just a bit of French braiding, then a pony, and then finally into a bun", Hermione said softly.  
  
"Oh, you'll have to teach me how to French braid", Athena said whimsically.  
  
"Alright," Hermione siad," But not now, we have to get you two settled", Hermione siad pointing to Rosie who was peeking her head around Hermione's door.  
  
"Where are your trunks", Hermione asked as Rosie shuffled into the room, to stand beside her.  
  
"We left them by your door", Draco said standing up also.  
  
"Alright, I am going to have to have help bringing them up, miss", Rosie said leading the way downstairs.  
  
"Okay, Rosie," Hermione said politely.  
  
When they reached the downstairs, Hermione was met with the smell of a cake being made.  
  
"Are you making something", Hermione asked Rosie.  
  
"Yes, I am baking a lemon cake for dessert tonight", Rosie said as they reached the two large trunks blocking the doorway.  
  
"Mmm", Hermoine said licking her lips as her and Draco each grabbed on of the leather straps on the trunk and began to carry it up the stairs.  
  
"My trunk isn't as heavy as Draco's", Athena said from behind Hermione, where her and Rosie where following them with Athena's trunk.  
  
"Yeah, what did you pack, rocks", Hermione gasped as they hit the last step and she lurched side ways.  
  
"No actaully only, my broom, my clothes, and some books", Draco said brightly as Rosie and Athena headed in the opposite direction, and into another of th guest rooms.  
  
"Well this will be your room for the next two weeks, I am guessing", Hermione said she propped open the door to a powder blue room that was right beside her own.  
  
"Yeah, that's how long your mother said we could stay", Draco said grinning at Hermione and setting the trunk down.  
  
"Alright then, do you want me to help you unpack", Hermione asked eyeing his trunk dully.  
  
"No, I'm a big boy", Draco said flexing his muscles.  
  
Hermione just laughed and walked out into the hallway.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Later that day, Hermione, Athena and Draco where all stretched out on Hermione's hamock watching Crookshanks stalking any bug that was close by.  
  
"Get him Crookshanks, get him", Athena said quietly as Crookshanks got ready to pounce on an unsuspecting fly.  
  
Hermione giggle slightly and the wind ruffled all of their hair. Hermione turned on her side to face Draco and began playing with his hair. She ran her hand through it, then she flattened it down.  
  
"Hey, don't touch the hair", Draco said, even though he had his eyes shut blissfully.  
  
"Oh, you know you like it", Athena said from the other side of Draco watching carefully as Draco's eyelashes fluttered and he turned to glare at her.  
  
"Then you'll like it too", Draco said as he sat up, grabbed Athena's head and began giving her a noogie.  
  
"Ahhhhhhhhh", Athena said hitting Draco lightly.  
  
When Draco let go of her, her hair puffed out like a lion and she growled playfully at both Hermione and Draco.  
  
"What should we do", Draco said turning to Hermione.  
  
"Well, we could have a water fight, seeing as it is so hot out here", Hermione said an evil smirk plastered across her face.  
  
"Oooh, that sounds like fun", Athena cooed happily, clapping her hands together in glee.  
  
"Alright then. I say we all go to our rooms, get our suits on, and meet in my kitchen so we can collect the proper supplies," Hermione said getting off of the hamock and giving her hand to Athena so she could stand also.  
  
"Sounds good to me", Draco said.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
"I'll get you for that, Malfoy", Hermione screamed as she pushed her now soaking wet hair out of her face.  
  
"Oh really", Draco said smirking sexily, from where he stood holding three huge water balloons.  
  
Hermione glared at him and stalked over to Athena, who was holding a big plastic squirt gun. Hermione motioned to Athena and they began to plot against Draco.  
  
"I say we get a bucket full of water and pour it over his head", Hermione said motioning to a big bucket that sitting by the side of her house.  
  
"I have a better idea, we can do that, but why not humilate him at the same time", Athena said evily and raised her eyebrows.  
  
"What do you mean", Hermione asked a bit miffed.  
  
"I mean, one of us pour the water on him, the other grab his shorts", Athena said smirking widely and doing voilent hand guestures at the same time.  
  
Hermione grinned sardonically and nodded. They walked over to the bucket and with the hose, filled it to the top. Draco was watching them warily from across the yard.  
  
"Ready", Hermione whispered and Athena nodded.  
  
"Which do you want the bucket or his shorts", Athena asked wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.  
  
"I'll take the bucket", Hermione said stoicoly.  
  
"Oh, come on Hermione, be brave", Athena said.  
  
"No, it was your plan", Hermione siad heaving the heavy bucket up into her arms and starting to walk towards Draco.  
  
Draco just sat and watched as Athena and Hermione advanced on him, with that extremely big bucket. He started to walk backwards as they got closer, but soon ran into a hedge at the edge of Hermione's yard.  
  
He was trapped. He held up his hands as if in surrender. Hermione and Athena looked at each other breefly, before Hermione broke into a trot and Athena followed right behind her.  
  
They reached Draco at about the same time, and with a war cry, like shout, Hermione upturned the water over Draco's head, while Athena reached down and de-panced him.  
  
Draco looked down and saw his shorts at his ankles, he pulled them up quickly and looked around. Hermione and Athena where running across the yard at breakneck speed laughing their heads off.  
  
Draco, who was now bright red, grabbed their discarded bucket and headed into the kitchen for a little mischeif.  
  
Draco filled the bucket full with ice and icey cold water. He smirked as he grabbed the bucket and went back outside. The girls where lounging on the hammock out of breathe, and red in the face.  
  
When Draco apeared carring the bucket, they both started laughing, again. Draco's angrily stood there, the bucket over one shoulder. The girls whispered to each other, and Draco could just barely hear them mention him, and his expossed self.  
  
Draco walked up to the girls and brought the bucket down on their heads. There was a shrieking wail coming from both of them, and when Draco lifted the bucket, they where both glaring murderously at him.  
  
"Serves you right, you pansys", Draco said, folding his arms across his chest and smirking at the two girls.  
  
"I guess your right", Hermione said holding out her hand for a truse.  
  
Draco grabbed her hand and pulled her over his shoulder and started walking towards the hose. Hermione was screaming, hitting and kicking him, but Draco didn't drop her until she was right beside the hose.  
  
Athena came walking over slowly, not wanting to feel Draco's wrath too soon. Hermione looked pleadingly over at Athena and she just shrugged. Hermione turned back around just in time to feel cold water come pouring over her head.  
  
She sputtered and screamed many curses, that Draco didn't even know she knew. Finally he turned off the tap and stood over Hermione. Smirking like he had just won a bet.  
  
"I hate you", Hermione said venemently through chattering teeth.  
  
Draco threw his head back and laughed, the most wonderful sound Hermione had ever heard come from him, thus far.  
  
"I should hope not, because then who will you watch a movie with tonight", Bridget said coming out the back door and seeing a very drenched Hermione laying on the ground.  
  
"Honey, I rented some movies for you guys to watch. I am going to be doing paperwork tonight at my office, so you'll be alone", Bridget said pointing to the bag she held in her hand.  
  
"Alright, mum", Hermione said waving at her mother as she turned to leave.  
  
"See later, sweetie", Bridget said before grabbing her car keys and heading off for work.  
  
"So I guess it's just the three of us", Athena said coyly, eyeing Draco.  
  
"I don't know about you two, but I want to go inside. I'm cold", Hermione said from where she still sat on the ground, huddle with her knees drawn up to her chest.  
  
"Agreed", Draco said and he walked off to fetch the towels they had hung on a nearby tree.  
  
When Draco came back he handed Athena her towel, wrapped himself in his own towel, and started to walk inside, stil holding the third towel.  
  
"Hey, what about my towel", Hermione cried, shivering slightly as the trees shook with the breeze.  
  
"I don't give towels to people who hate me", Draco said sweetly holding out the towel in her direction and waving it back and forth.  
  
Hermione's eyes followed the towel, for a minute, before she screwed up her face into a pout and gave Draco her best puppy-dog-look.  
  
"Please, Draco", Hermione whined.  
  
"You still hate me though", Draco said playfully and turned as if to leave again.  
  
"Don't go!" Hermione shouted, she looked at Athena who was laughing at the pair and said," I loooooovvvvvvveeeee you Draco", in her best sarcastic voice.  
  
Draco laughed and turned around.  
  
"Alright, if you put it that way," he said grinning and brandishing the towel at her.  
  
He walked back to where she sat, and helping her up, wrapped the towel around her himself.  
  
"Guess what, because you love me, you get the specail treatment", Draco said laughingly and he put his arm under the crook in Hermione's knees and hoisted her up.  
  
He carried her back into the house, while Athena followed, jealously watching Draco's care of Hermione.  
  
Draco dropped Hermione on the couch and started to walk up the stairs.  
  
"What lousy service, you don't even take me up the stairs?' Hermione mocked from the couch.  
  
"I'm sorry, but that's as far as this train is going", Draco said and ran up the rest of the stairs.  
  
Hermione got off the couch and grabbing a sort of sulky Athena, dragged her up to her room to get re-dressed.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Twenty minutes later the girls emerged their hair pulled up into ponys and both in their pajamas.  
  
They were giggling and as they walked down the stairs to the living room, where Draco sat, in green silk pants and a grey shirt, he swore he could hear them discussing things that he would never guess would come out of their mouths.  
  
"Hello, Draco," Athena said seductively, ruffling his hair as she passed him and sat on the huge white sofa that was almost as big as a bed.  
  
Hermione giggled slightly and walked past him too, to sit in the same sofa as Athena was now sprawled out on.  
  
"I feel so alone over here", Draco said from the small burgundy recliner he was currently sitting in.  
  
"Oooh, then come over here", Hermione said patting the place between her and Athena.  
  
"Alright," Draco said, removing his reading glasses and setting them on top of "Hogwarts A History."  
  
"Hey, Draco since when do you wear reading glasses", Hermione asked as he set them on her coffee table and went and sat beside her.  
  
"I don't know, since second year", Draco said shrugging and turning aorund to lay down like the girls where, on their stomachs.  
  
"I think they make you look cute", Athena said as she stared at the blank T.V. screen.  
  
"Hey, I look cute all the time", Draco said smugly.  
  
"Shut up Mr. Big Ego, which movie do you want to watch", Hermione asked holdin up three tapes.  
  
"I don't know, I never have watched muggle tellievisine", Athena said trying to wrap her tongue around the foregien word.  
  
"Me either", Draco said nodding his head vigorously up and down.  
  
"Okay, then I get to pick the movie, how about Spiderman?" Hermione said pulling the tape out of it's case and popping it into the VCR.  
  
"Sounds good to me, even though I don't know what it is", Athena said.  
  
Draco started nodding again, but Athena put her hand in his spikey hair and pushed his head down back to the massive pillow they where all sharing.  
  
"Ahh, you touched the hair", Draco moaned and tried to fix his hair.  
  
"Aren't you a vain little creature", Hermione said as she settled back down on the sofa.  
  
"Shhh.... it's starting", Athena said.  
  
******************************************************************  
  
Needless to say, Athena and Draco where both in awe of the T.V. By the time the movie was over, Athena was saying something about purchasing her own T.V. and Draco was rambling on about elekticity.  
  
"Okay, okay. I think it's time for bed", Hermione said rather grumpily as Draco and Athena began to squabble over the popcorn that Rosie had made.  
  
"Alright", Athena said jumping up from the couch, pulling Draco, who had, had his arm wrapped around one of her legs, along with her.  
  
Hermione laughed she watched Athena tumble to the ground Draco sprinted for the stairs, just as Athena got back up and came harring after him. Hermione turned off the T.V. , put the popcorn bowl in the kitchen and went up the stairs.  
  
When she got to the door of her room, Draco was standing next to it, with Athena hitting him. Finally she pushed him and smirking at Hermione went into her own room.  
  
"Goodnight, robo-dork", Hermione said slyly smiling at him from under her lashes.  
  
"What! Did you just call me a dork?" Draco asked putting his hand over his heart and acting as if he was wounded.  
  
"Yes, deal with it,"Hermione said walking past him.  
  
Draco reached out and smacked Hermione's butt hard with the back of his hand. She let out a string of curses and turned around glaring at him.  
  
He smiled cheekily at her, blew a kiss and went into the room next to hers. Hermione was still fuming as she climbed into bed, and fell into an awaited peaceful sleep.  
  
******************************************************************  
  
Draco shut his door quietly, grinning to himself. The look on Hermione's face had been priceless. He was beginning to really enjoy himself here.  
  
A/N: I hope you liked this chapter, I know I did. Well what you waiting for? Review!!!! 


	12. It's A Wonderful Life

Disclaimer: I don't owe you anything, I mean I don't own anything, yeah there we go.  
  
A/N: Holla! They call me crazy and I'm back, I'm back, or better yet... Guess whose back? Back again, I am back, tell some men! Lol, anyways thank you to my reviewers. You all make me want to write! Moving on... well I really, really loved the last chapter, it was the funnest to write, so hopefully I can come up with another good chapter. Love yas!  
Chapter 12  
It's A Wonderful Life  
  
"So I Look In Your Direction, But You Pay Me No Attention, Do You, I Know You Don't Listen To Me, Cuz You Say You See Straight Through Me, Don't You, But On And On, From The Moment I Wake, To The Moment I Sleep, I'll Be There By Your Side, Just You Try And Stop Me, I'll Be Waiting In Line, Just To See If You Care, If You Care, Did You Want Me To Change, Well I Changed For You, And I Want You To Know, That You Always Get Your Way, I Wanted To Say, Don't You Shiver, Shiver, Sing It Loud, I'll Always Be Waiting For You, So You Know How Much I Need You, But You Never Even See Me, Do You, And Is This, My Final Chance Of Getting You, And On And On, From The Moment I Wake, To The Moment I Sleep, I'll Be There By Your Side, Just You Try And Stop Me, I'll Be Waiting In Line, Just To See If You Care, If You Care, Did You Want Me To Change, Well I Changed For You, And I Want You To Know, That You Always Get Your Way, I Wanted To Say, Don't You Shiver, Don't You Shiver, Sing It Loud, I'll Always Be Waiting For You, I'll Always Be Waiting For You, Yeah, I'll Always Be Waiting For You, Yeah, I'll Always Be Waiting For You, For You, I Will Always Be Waiting, And It's You I See, But You Don't See Me, And It's You I Hear, So Loud And Clear, I'll Sing It Loud, And I'll Always Be Waiting For You, So I Look In Your Direction, But You Pay Me No Attention, And You Know How Much I Need You, But You Never Even See Me."  
  
~ Coldplay - "Shiver"  
  
Draco woke up that morning to a large and orange cat jumping on his head. Both Hermione and Athena where awoken by the shout that came out of Draco's room as he realized that a fat, and in his opinion, ugly cat was currently lounging on his face.  
  
"Get off me", came Draco's muffled yell.  
  
Hermione and Athena, who both thought that Draco had been attacked by something came barreling into his room. They both stopped in his doorway and put their hands over their mouths to try and hide their giggles.  
  
Finally Draco shoved Crookshanks off and Crookshanks crawled off the bed yowling at the fact that he had lost his warm pillow. Draco sat up and looked around bewildered.  
  
"I'm in some sort of muggle torture device, aren't I", He said to himself looking around, not remembering where he was.  
  
"No you're at my house", Hermione said laughing at Draco, who was patting his legs, as if they had been shot off in the night.  
  
"Same difference", Draco said getting out of bed and stumbling over his trunk, that he had left out in the middle of the floor.  
  
"Come on Hermione. Let's let neandrathal man take a shower", Athena said grabbing Hermione's arm and ushering her into Athena's room.  
  
"I wanted to show you a book that I know you'll like", Athena said pulling out "The Haiwiian Islands, Magical Paradise", by Lara Isandiel.  
  
Hermione looked at the cover skeptically, as there was a picture of a wizard flying over a valcano on a broom stick.  
  
"Oh, it's not what you think", Athena said opening flipping open the book and revealing that, in fact, it was well disguised hiding place for a small blue book, that read, "Rowena Ravenclaw, Diary" on the cover in silver loopy script.  
  
"Oooh", Hermione said her eyes getting wide. She may be a true Gryffindore, but she had always admired Rowena.  
  
"It's pretty interesting. I guess Rowena had a thing for Salazaar", Athana smirking slightly.  
  
"Really, but he was so evil", Hermione said wrinkling her nose in disgust.  
  
"Things change, and besides, girls like bad boys", Athena said nodding.  
  
"Well I don't," Hermione said primly, sitting up straighter and squaring her shoulders.  
  
"Yeah right. What about Malfoy", Athena said slyly noticing the blush on Hermione's cheeks.  
  
After a few minutes of Hermione sitting there quietly with her head lowered, Athena spoke again.  
  
"Of course, I don't blame you, Draco is bloody sexy. He's nice, he's charming, not to mention, he has a killer body and his daddy's fortune."  
  
"I can't believe you just said that", Hermione said shocked out of her knickers.  
  
"What, you have to admit that it's true. I'd do him", Athena said making Hermione turn an even brighter red, at her nerve.  
  
"I am going to pretend this conversation never happened", Hermione said holding her head high.  
  
"Alright then", Athena said handing Hermione Rowena's journal.  
  
"I love the inscribed peom on the front cover", Athena said pointing to the green ink in the left-hand corner.  
  
"Straight from hell, And into your room, The man you know well, Your fate, your doom". Hermione read iquisitively.  
  
"Isn't it romantic", Athena said whimsically.  
  
"It sounds more forboding to me", Hermione said turning a few pages and scanning the pages quickly.  
  
"Says you", Athena said slightly huffy.  
  
Hermione laughed and set the book down.  
  
"Can I borrow it later? I really would like to read it", Hermione said pleadingly.  
  
"Sure", Athena said put it back in it's secret compartment and back into her trunk.  
  
"Hermione, you have a phone call and there is an owl here for you", Rosie called over the intercom.  
  
"Alright, I'll be down in a second", Hermione said pushing the little red button . Athena was looked at the little white box on the wall, as if it was on fire. Hermione glanced at her and back at the intercom.  
  
"I will tell you about it later", Hermione going out Athena's door and running down the stairs.  
  
She went into the kitchen and grabbed the phone off the counter.  
  
"Hello, this is Hermione", she said into the mouth peice.  
  
"Hermione! Hello, this is Amanda. I was wondering, becuase my mother and father are going to some golf tournement if I could stay at your house for a while", Amanda said in a rush.  
  
"Sure, I'll have to ask my mom, but I don't think she'll mind, hold on," Hermione said setting the phone down and going into her mother's office.  
  
"Hey mum, could Amanda come and stay for a week or so", Hermione said hopefulness effident in her voice.  
  
"Sure, honey", Bridget said not even bothering to look up from her paperwork.  
  
Hermione dashed back into the kitchen and grabbed the phone again.  
  
"She said it's alright, when are you coming", Hermione said.  
  
"Well today, at around two-thirty. My mom said she will drive me", Amanda said excitedly.  
  
"I have to warn you Amanda, Draco and Athena are here", Hermione said.  
  
"Oooh, alright. It sounds like fun. I am going to let you go, I have to go pack", Amanda said.  
  
"Alright bye", Hermione said and hung up the phone.  
  
She looked at the kitchen clock hanging above the stove and almost hit herself in the head, it was already two o'clock. Hermione walked over to the opposite cupboard, where an enourmous Barn owl had been patiently sitting for the last couple of minutes.  
  
She took the letter from the some what smarmy owl and it took off out the open window. She broke the seal and unfolded it. It said;  
  
Dear Miss Granger,  
  
Because you will not be attending school this year at Beauxbatons, I will be sending a Proffesor to your house, to bring the needed paperwork.  
  
Thank You For Your Time,  
  
Genivieve Houser Deputy Head-Mistress  
  
P.S. The Proffesor with arrive promtly at five o'clock.  
  
Hermione dropped the letter on the counter and went to look in her fridge. She had a busy day ahead of her and she really needed some nourishment.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Draco came out of the bathroom, in nothing, but a towel and was walking to his room, when Hermione came barreling up the stairs and ran straight into him.  
  
"Whoa, Moine, slow down", Draco said re-adjusting his towel.  
  
Hermione looked at him with wide eyes, she was out of breathe and she was mouthing something furiously at him.  
  
"Slowly now, get your breath then tell me", Draco said calmly.  
  
Hermione took several deep breathes and let them all out in a big whoosh.  
  
"Amanda is coming here in thirty minutes", Hermione said finally calm.  
  
"She's what", Draco said panicky, and looked down at himself and back at Hermione with a disgruntled look on his face.  
  
"You heard me, so I suggest that you go in your room and get dressed", Hermione said pointing to his door.  
  
"Or you could come to *my* room," came a voice oozing with underlying want.  
  
Hermione turned around and saw Athena standing there, looking at Draco as if he was a three course meal that she was dying to taste. Draco crossed his arms and leaned against the wall behind him, smirking like there was no tomorrow.  
  
"Really, and just what do you think would happen in your room", Draco said misheiviously.  
  
"Oooh, lots of things. All good of course", Athena said winking at him.  
  
All this talk was making Hermione want to gag, she shoved Draco hard towards his room, and glared menacingly at him. He got the hint and went into his room.  
  
Then Hermione turned to Athena. "What did you do that for", Athena said slightly glaring at Hermione for taking away her entertainment.  
  
"Unless you want to be in your pjs when my friend arrives in thirty minutes, I suggest you take a shower and get dressed", Hermione said, sounding colder than she had meant to.  
  
"Oh my god, I better hurry", Athena said running into her room.  
  
Hermione sighed and went to grab her own clothes. She hadn't meant to get mad at Athena, but couldn't she find someone else to like than Draco?  
  
***************************************************************  
  
"I have missed you so much, you have no idea", Amanda said as she hugged Hermione tightly.  
  
"I've missed you, too", Hermione said prying off Amanda's hands.  
  
"Hey, Draco", Amanda said spotting the blonde, standing behind Hermione.  
  
"Hello, Amanda", Draco said waving at her.  
  
Just then Athena walked into the hall, looking amaculate in a black dress. She looked at Amanda interestedly, and held out her hand to her.  
  
"I'm Athena Hartford", she said brightly, as Amanda shook her hand excitedly.  
  
"I'm Amanda James", Amanda said letting go of Athena's hand.  
  
"Well, lets take your trunk up to my room. I would have you stay in a guest room, but the only empty ones are on the fourth floor." Hermione said grabbing one of the handles on Amanda's trunk while she grabbed the other.  
  
Draco and Athena followed behind the two best friends as they went up the stairs. When they where in Hermione's room she dropped her side of the trunk Amanda set her side down easily.  
  
"Your from America, aren't you," Athena said out fo the blue.  
  
"Yeah, my mom and dad wanted me to be more accidemically challenged, so they sent me to Beauxbatons", Amanda said amabley.  
  
"Yes, where she and Mione here drove me crazy with their constant letters", Draco broke in putting his arm around a beaming Hermione.  
  
"We try", Amanda said smiling.  
  
"And you succeed", Draco said smirking at Amanda, who stuck out her tongue.  
  
"Very mature", Hermione commmented.  
  
"I thought so", Amanda said grinning.  
  
"Hey, so what are we doing today", Athena said trying to draw some attention back on herself.  
  
"I don't know", Hermione said shrugging off Draco's arm and leading the group back down stairs.  
  
"Why don't we just watch T.V.," Amanda said, used to Muggle apliances, as she was a muggle-born.  
  
"Sounds good to me", Draco said trying to keep the excitment out of his voice.  
  
"Be careful Amanda, I think Draco could get addicted to telivision," Hermione said jokingly.  
  
"Shut up, Granger", Draco said hitting her with a pillow.  
  
"Oh, so I'm Granger to you now, Malfoy", Hermione said, as she too grabbed a pillow.  
  
"Hey, hey I want to be in the pillow fight too", Amanda said grabbing one of the remaining pillows and hitting Hermione hard in the stomach.  
  
"Don't mess up my......", Athena began to say before Draco hit her full in the head.  
  
"You stupid prick", Athena yelled taking cover behind a couch.  
  
"I say girls against boy", Hermione shouted hitting Draco repeatedly over the head.  
  
"That's all fun and games, except there's one of me and three of you", Draco drawled.  
  
"Then one of us should be on your team", Athena said hopefully, un- crouching from behind the couch.  
  
"Alright then, Hermione, your on my team", Draco said pulling her towards him, and earning a scowl from Athena.  
  
"Fine," Hermione said as she turned towards Athena and began swinging the pillow around her head.  
  
"Amanda look over there", Draco said pointing towards the kitchen.  
  
Amanda turned and he hit her hard on the back.  
  
"Oof," Amanda said as she smacked Draco back.  
  
"How about we switch teams", Athena suggested from where she stood being beaten by Hermione.  
  
"Alright," Amanda said and linked her arm with Hermione's "Me and Mione, against you two."  
  
"Sounds good to me," Draco said evilly, as he eyed Hermione.  
  
"Don't give me that look, Draco Malfoy", Hermione said shrilly, backing away slightly.  
  
"And what look is that," Draco asked slyly, stepping towards her.  
  
"The look that says your up to something," Hermione said.  
  
Draco just grinned, before giving a shout and tackling Hermione. While Athena and Amanda went at it on the other side of the room.  
  
Draco sat up and began hitting Hermioen over and over again. Her arms where pinned beneath her and everytime she opened her mouth to say something Draco would hit her.  
  
Finally Draco, who was laughing really hard, stopped hitting Hermione and grinned down at her angry face. Hermione took a few deep breathes and calming down a bit, began to yell at Draco.  
  
"Get off me you idiot," she screamed trying to kick him.  
  
"No", Draco said getting up slightly so her arms wheren't pinned anymore.  
  
She smack him, and tried to push him off with her hands. He just sat there, his annoying smirk in place.  
  
Laughing, and not noticing Athena and Amanda watching with wide eyes from across the room, Draco swooped down on Hermione and started kissing her face.  
  
When she started to laugh, Draco stopped kissing her. Hermione grabbed his head and kissed both his cheeks, she even put her mouth to his neck and made a loud and wet raspberry.  
  
Draco, who was laughing even harder at this point, started tickling Hermione and she began to shriek and tried to wiggle out from under him.  
  
Finally Draco let her go.When she got up, her face was bright red, her clothes where slightly wrinkled and her hair was mussed, but she had a huge smile on her face.  
  
Draco sat down on the couch, out of breath from laughing. He motioned for Hermione to come to him, and she went and stood beside him. He pulled her onto his lap, and held out his hand to her.  
  
"Truce", he said hoarsely.  
  
"Truce", Hermione said shaking his hand and getting off his lap.  
  
"Well that was interesting," Athena said sniffily.  
  
"Yeah." Amanda agreed. " Do you two want us to leave, so you could carry on", she added suggestively.  
  
"Alright, but only if you want to", Draco said playfully, and Hermione smacked his arm.  
  
"I forgot you like it rough", Draco said wiggling his eyebrows and giving her a superior smirk as she blushed and laughed along with the rest of them.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Later that night, just before five o'clock, Hermione and her friends where sitting in her kitchen eating cookies with milk and laughing at each other.  
  
Hermione heard the doorbell, but didn't think anything of it, as Athena jumped off her chair and went to answer it. Athena opened the door to a very handsome man, who, when he spoke, had a beautiful French accent.  
  
"Hello Hermie, you have changed your hair, mon chere", Eteine said taking Athena's arm and placing kisses up it.  
  
"Hermione someone's here to see you," Athena said before she let a gigle escape.  
  
At hearing Athena call Hermione, Eteine studied the girl closer and saw, that indeed this girl was not Hermione, but she was equally pretty, so it didn't really matter to him.  
  
Hermione walked into the hall, looking radiant and happier than Eteine had ever seen her, in the two years he had known her. Behind her, was a very tall blonde boy and that one girl that was always hanging around Hermione.  
  
At seeing Eteine Hermione smirked mischieviously, and Amanda scowled. Draco just stood there his arms crossed over his chest looking indifferent.  
  
"Hello Proffesor DeGent", Hermione said a plan already formulating in her head.  
  
" 'ello, Hermie, I have brought your papers", Eteine said sweetly.  
  
"Thank you. You are just in time to meet, my new friend, Athena Hartford, and my fiancè, Draco Malfoy", Hermione said latching herself onto Draco's arm.  
  
"Fiancè?" Athena said sounding very angry.  
  
Hermione looked at Amanda and widened her eyes, trying to tell her to clue Athena in.  
  
"Come here Athena I have something I want to show you", Amanda said catching on.  
  
"Alright," Athena said grudgingly as she followed Amanda into the kitchen, where Amanda whispered to Athena, telling her what was going on.  
  
"So this is your fiancè," Etiene said, his vioce turning cold, while he looked Draco up and down, clearly diapproving.  
  
Draco looked between the two and kept his mouth shut. He knew Hermione would tell him what was going on later. Right now he had to act as her fiancè. Which was very strange to him.  
  
"Honey, I am going to go and put away the extra cookies and the milk," Draco said pecking Hermione on the lips and walking away into the kitchen where he was leeched onto by Athena and Amanda.  
  
"What's going on, did he buy it", they both whispered to him.  
  
"I dont know, I think so. Now would one of you mind telling me what is going on", Draco said.  
  
"Well, Hermione wanted to get at Proffesor DeGent, because he is a snobby git, that needs to be put in his place. She told him that you where her fiancè, so it would make Eteine mad."  
  
Amanda said and Athena nodded her head. While Draco looked puzzled at this new informantion.  
  
"Then why did we all leave her alone with that snake", Draco said.  
  
Amanda and Athena both shrugged, while Amanda polished off the rest of the cookies and Athena gulped down her milk.  
  
Draco rolled his sleeves up and marched back into the hall way, where he was met with a strange sight. Eteine was bent over backwards, trying to avoid the tip of Hermione's wand which was aimed at his throat.  
  
"Don't you ever, ever say anything like that about my fiancè", Hermione was screaming her wand hand shaking uncontrolably with rage.  
  
"Hermie, I am only trying to help you", Eteine said gulping slightly as Hermione glared more forcefully at him.  
  
Draco went and stood by Hermione, but she didn't notice his presence until he put his hand on her's and made her lower her wand. Hermione turned and started bawling into Draco's chest clutching tightly to his shirt.  
  
Draco whispered words of comfort to her until she wiped away her tears and went into the kitchen. Draco then turned to Eteine who was straightening out his robes.  
  
"Mr. DeGent, you know who my father is no doubt," Draco sneered.  
  
Eteine nodded his head slightly and Draco went on. "Unless you want to meet him and his friends in a dark alleyway, I suggest you leave Hermione alone."  
  
Then Eteine did something, that Draco had never guessed he would do, he smirked, his eyes growing wide with delight.  
  
"You care to much, for the muggle-born, Malfoy. Does your father know?"  
  
Eteine bowed his head, threw a bundle of papers on the hallway end table and strode out the door in a flurry of blue.  
  
Draco was muttering to himself incoherently when Hermione went to check on him, when he hadn't come into the kitchen.  
  
He was lying in his bed staring at the ceiling, his eyes glazed over, and his hair a mess. Hermione sat beside him and touched his hand lightly. Draco jumped and recoiled slightly, but then settled back down into starring off into space.  
  
Suddenly he began to talk to her, rambling on and on about what his father wanted from him. Hermione just sat quietly petting his hand and listening until Draco fell into a dreamless sleep.  
  
She crept out and found Athena and Amanda standing outside the door, worried looks on their faces.  
  
"He's scared of the Death Eaters trails", Hermione said simply, and even though she tried to plaster a big happy smile on her face for the rest of the night, she still had the far away haunted look in her eyes.  
  
A/N: Oh, my goodness, what a thrill ride, lol. Anyways, the next chapter, which I still haven't figured out the title too, will be up in a week, keep reviewing and it will be up, way sooner. 


	13. Losing Touch

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, So please don't sue, All you would get is some muddy old shoes!  
  
A/N: Hello! I have come to give you another helping of my Hermione/Draco romance. Hehe. I am very happy as to where this story is turning out and where it will end up. There will be a sequel, so don't worry when this story ends another one will be started. With this story I am hoping to achieve the affect of making you laugh, be happy and cry all in the same story. This chapter is a bit more angsty than any other one to date (well at least I think so). It has been hard to write becuase it's just sort of depressing. I hope you enjoy it nothing less. Well on with the story!  
Chapter 13  
Losing Touch  
  
"I Still Remember, The World, From The Eyes, Of A Child, Slowly Those Feelings, Where Clouded, By What I Know Now, Where Has My Heart Gone, And Uneven Trained For The Real World, Oh I, I Want To Go Back To, Believing In Everything, I Know, I Know, Nothing At All, I Still Remember, The Sun, Always Warm On My Back, Some How It Seems, Colder Now, Where Has My Heart Gone, Trapt In The Eyes Of A Stranger, Oh I, I Want To Go Back To, Believing In Everything, Where Has My Heart Gone, And Uneven Trained For The Real World, Oh I, I Want To Go Back To, Believing In Everything, Oh Where, Where Has My Heart Gone, Trapt In The Eyes Of A Stranger, Oh I, I Want To Go Back To, Believing In Everything, I Still Remember."  
  
~ Evanescence - " Fields Of Innocence"  
  
The next week and a half passed in a busy whirl. For the rest of his stay, Draco remained distant with Hermione. He still talked to her, but he didn't flirt with her, or even act very friend like.  
  
Although he was all over Athena. Hermione watched as they became closer and closer, as she and Draco drifted farther apart. The night before Draco and Athena where to go home, Hermione saw them walking around holding hands.  
  
Amanda noticed Hermione's crest fallen face immediatly, when they were getting ready for bed. Amanda patted her bed, that she had just made, and Hermione sat upon it heavily.  
  
"It's Draco isn't it", Amanda said knowingly, having seen Athena kiss Draco just the other day.  
  
"Yes," Hermione admitted, a single fat tear rolled down her cheek.  
  
"I'm sorry Moine, you'll find someone new", Amanda said comfortingly.  
  
"I know", Hermione said silently studying her finger nails closely.  
  
Amanda gave Hermione a hug, and feeling a bit better, Hermione climbed into bed.  
  
What she didn't know was that Amanda snuck out of their room and went into Draco's, as soon as she was asleep.  
  
Draco was asleep, the moonlight coming from the window , hit his hair and made him look like an angel, but a fallen angel. Amanda crept over to his bedside and shook him hard.  
  
Draco rolled over and covered his head with his pillow.  
  
"Draco wake up", Amanda said quietly still shaking him.  
  
"I... No.. I don't wanna", Draco mumbled through his pillow.  
  
"Yes you are," Amanda said forcefully and she grabbed his pillow ripping it off his head and turned on the lamo beside his bed.  
  
Draco muttering curses at her sat up and rubbed his eyes.  
  
"What is this about", he said coldly glaring at Amanda for waking him up.  
  
"It's Hermione", Amanda said.  
  
"Oh, what about her", Draco said, sounding indifferent.  
  
"She likes you, more than you know and you've been treating her like crap", Amanda said a bit angrily.  
  
"She is a muggle-born, she is lucky that I even speak to her", Draco said, but he winced as soon as he said it.  
  
Amanda stared at him, her eyes wide with shocked and unbelieving at what he had just said.  
  
"I can't believe you. You parade around here with Athena, right under Hermione's nose and excpect it not to hurt her, then you say your to good to even speak to her", Amanda said seething with rage.  
  
"I cannot help who I was born as, neither can she, but that's the way things are", Draco said getting angry at Amanda.  
  
"So your just going to be with every pureblood witch who will have you, is that it", Amanda said raising her hands.  
  
"Yes", Draco said and laying back down, rolled over and tried to go back to sleep.  
  
"Draco Malfoy, I can't believe that you are this cruel. You care for Hermione, I know you do. You actaully made her cry today. Nobody else has ever really done that to her except for Ron Weasley. Do you really want to be on a short list with him", Amanda said turning her back to Draco and started to leave.  
  
"No, you see here. I am who I am and nobody can change that. I do not care for that Mudblood one shred, and if she cried bully for her. She's weak, and just because she has cried over the Weasel, doesn't mean I care. Now shut up and get out of my room", Draco said with a quiet rage that Amanda could see just in his eyes.  
  
She backed away slowly and opened the door, but before she went she whispered to Draco.  
  
"Fine, it's your choice, but think of what Hermione might do, being as she has nothing much in her life right now", and with that she turned and stalked angrily back to Hermione's room.  
  
Draco lay awake for a long time after that. He was guilty, he shouldn't have said all those nasty things about Hermione. He didn't mean to hurt her like this, but it hurt him to think that he liked her so much, but she was off limits.  
  
As soon as he made any promises to her, the Dark Lord would be after her, and Draco didn't want her blood on his hands. He already was stressed about the Death Eater's trails that had been postponed until late July.  
  
Draco rolled over and wished that he would just be able to make it all go away.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Hermione woke at the crack of dawn, dreading what would come later. She would be saying goodbye to Draco, and she feared it was for the last time.  
  
He had seemed so cold and it reminded her of the days when they where enemies and she hated it.  
  
She took a quick shower got dressed went downstairs to eat breakfast. To her suprise Draco was already up and dressed sitting on a couch. It seemed as though he where waiting for something, and for a spilt second she wondered if it was her.  
  
When she walked quietly past him, he looked up at her and the look on his face was so pained and sad, that she backed away slightly.  
  
"Come here Hermione, we need to talk", Draco said patting the bit of couch beside him.  
  
Hermione went and sat beside him pensively, afriad of what he had to say. Draco took a while to speak again, but when he did it was in a quiet and soft voice.  
  
"I am sorry Hermione, if I have hurt you at all, but everything is so messed up and I feel that if I let myself become to attached to anyone thing, it will be wrenched from my grasp in mere seconds. I have told you about the Death Eater Trails and I am sure you feel sorry for me, but I all I feel about them is that it's a balck hole waiting to suck me in. I don't want to be a Death Etaer, Moine."  
  
Hermione started to cry then, it was the first time in what seemed like so long that he had used her nickname. Draco looked scared and put his arm around her. She buried her face into his arm and cryed her heart out.  
  
All the frustrations, and the hurt of the last week, just flew away as she cried. Finally she stopped, sat up striaght and wiped her eyes.  
  
"Draco, you've hurt me, not just by being close with Athena, but by pushing me away. You have really helped me through some rough spots and I was afraid I was going to lose you. I know your afraid, but so am I. I know you probably feel that you can't be close to me, because then I would be a target for Voldemort, but Draco, when have I not been a target, I have been best friends with Harry Potter for almost seven years now and I have always had that danger, not to mention that I am a muggle-born and if I do say so myself, quite capable with a wand. So please don't feel that your putting me in danger, because I always have been, I just except the risk".  
  
Draco looked at her in shock and awe. He had never known anyone to face such great evil with such determination. No wonder she was a Gryffindore. She smiled at him and he hugged her tightly before placing a kiss on her forehead.  
  
"I always wondered why you where in Gryffindore when you seemed so much more suited for Ravenclaw, but now I know why," Draco said and Hermione laughed lightly.  
  
"So your leaving today", Hermione said and Draco nodded, the grim smile returning.  
  
"It will be alright Draco, I will figure out a way so you won't have to become a Death Eater," Hermione said taking his hand in her's.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
"Bye, Moine", Draco said kissing her cheek and hugging her fiercely to himself.  
  
"Don't forget to write", Hermione said running a hand through her short hair.  
  
"I won't," Draco said and before he stepped into the giant, green flames of Hermione's fireplace, shouting "Athena Hartford's".  
  
"Well it took you long enough," Athena said rather coldly, as Draco stepped out of the fire place wiping the soot from his clothes.  
  
"Athena, please don't be mad at me", Draco said pleadingly.  
  
Earlier he had told her that he wanted them to just be friends. Athena, to say the least, had taken it badly.  
  
Athena sighed heavily and nodded. She needed Draco, as much as she didn't want to admit it, she, like Hermione, used Draco as her support. She placed a strange looking coin in his hand and smiled.  
  
Draco looked at the ancient coin and puzzled, looked back up at Athena.  
  
"It's a talisman, I thought you might need it", Athena said shivering slightly.  
  
"Like Hermione said, it's going to be alright", Draco said try to sound encouraging.  
  
"I hope so", Athena said hugging Draco before he departed for his own mansion.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
When Draco got home, his father was sitting by the fire, apperantly waiting for him.  
  
"Draco, the Dark Lord says, we must test your courage, before you become initiated. So this year at Hogwarts you are to be a spy. You are to try and get close to that Mudblood brat Granger, the Dark Lord, for some insane reason, thinks she is very powerful and would be an asset to the Death Eaters, she is after all close with Harry Potter. If we can sway her to our side, maybe we can finally destroy Potter," Lucuis said each word coming out as cold and malicious as the last.  
  
"But father, how can they think that Granger will help us, surely the Dark Lord knows she will never join our side," Draco said keeping his face indifferent, and flawlessly covering up any sign of emotion.  
  
"She will, she is smart, she will see that we are the winning side, and even she can't deny that," Lucuis said standing up.  
  
"Besides boy, don't argue with me. You should know your place by now," Lucius said coldly glaring at Draco.  
  
Draco kept his face straight, nodded and grabbing his trunk, hurriedly left the room.  
  
******************************************************************  
  
"Oh, Draco. You should have seen some of the shops we went to. There where some that had everything, and there was this one, I don't remember the name, but it was full of Potion's things. There where cauldrons everywhere," Narcissa said airily to Draco as he sat on his mother and father's bed, listening to her ramble on about her trip, while she unbraided her hair.  
  
"You'll have to take me with you sometime," Draco said, knowing that this would never happen.  
  
"Alright, I will." Narcissa said not really paying attention.  
  
"So Draco did you have fun at the Howe's," she said looking at him beadily and smiling.  
  
"The Hartford's, mum. Yes, it was delightful," Draco said rather boredly.  
  
"I bet," Narcissa said, done with unbraiding, and dragging a brush through her blonde hair.  
  
"So this Anna girl, is she cute?"  
  
Narcissa said a pleasant smile gracing her face as she thought about Draco marrying some pretty young girl.  
  
"It's Athena, she is alright. A little to clingy, not my type I don't think," Draco said stuffily, not happy about his mother bringing up girls.  
  
Narcissa frowned and then smiled again. Draco wondered for a moment what was going on in her forgetful brain.  
  
"Well, anything is better than that wretched Pansy girl. Everytime I think of her with you, I nearly gag," Narcissa said her nose wrinkled in disgust.  
  
"I know," Draco said sadly.  
  
"Draco it will all turn out for the best. You remember what I said before, right," Narcissa said resuming her cheery smile.  
  
"About what," Draco asked a little confused.  
  
"About that one girl we saw, it has to have been nearly three years. Remember at the World Cup, that girl with the long brown hair, in the top box with us." Narcissa said remembering clearly that night, though she didn't remember things that had happened a few minutes ago.  
  
Draco smirked, his mother had been all in a flutter, saying how that girl was pretty and what was she doing with those two ugly boys. She was going on and on about the girl that was perfect for Draco, until Lucuis saw who she was talking about and informered her that, who she spoke of was a lowly muggle-born.  
  
"Your refering to Hermoine Granger, mum." Draco said amusedly.  
  
"What school does she go to, how old is she and who where those comely little boys with her," Narcissa said rapidly firing off questions at Draco.  
  
"She went to Beauxbaton's last year, although she went to Hogwarts with me until 5th year. She is in my year and at the top of the class. The those little boys where Harry Potter and Ron Weasley," Draco said answering his mummy's questions.  
  
"Harry Potter, why she must not like you much then," Narcissa said squinting her eyes a bit and frowning.  
  
"Not really, well she used to not like me at all, but I am not sure about what she thinks now", Draco said truthfully.  
  
"Oh Draco, I so want you to be happy, as I never was." She said sweetly coming to sit on the bed beside him.  
  
"What about that one girl that was at that Ministry party once, you know the one with the flaming red hair and pretty green eyes?"  
  
"Virginia Weasley," Draco asked shocked and not very happy that his mother though his match was a short, runty Weasley.  
  
"Oh yes, she is a like a fairy," Narcissa said whimsically.  
  
"I think not," Draco snorted.  
  
"Oh, Draco, it's what is inside, not who you are related to, I think you of all people should know that," Narcissa said sadly, remembering her own childhood.  
  
"But mum, what if what's inside is great, but who the person is related to makes all the difference," Draco said rather whinily.  
  
"Oh Draco don't be foolish, don't ever deny yourself what you want, you'll just regret it", Narcissa said sighing anf shoving Draco off her bed.  
  
"Now it's bed time poppet, off with you," she said waving to him.  
  
"Night, mum." Draco said and went into his own room.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
All to soon it was September first and Hermione was running with her trolley, packed with her things, towards the Hogwarts Express. She stopped and looked around for a familiar face and saw Harry staring at her from a few feet off.  
  
He was so much taller and cuter and he wasn't wearing glasses. He seemed to think Hermione was some one else becuase he just continued to stand there staring at her as if he had never seen her before.  
  
"Harry," Hermione shouted happily, and letting go of the handle of her trolley she ran and gave Harry a hug.  
  
"Hermione?" Harry said recognizing her voice and snapping out of his stupor.  
  
"Who did you think it was," Hermione asked playfully.  
  
"I don't know, I just didn't recognize you with your hair short, I guess." He muttered.  
  
Hermione smiled, grabbed her trolley and led him onto the train. They walked along the aisle until they found an empty compartment at the back. Hermione stuffed her trunk in and put Crookshank's carrier beside her.  
  
"So how was you summer, Harry", she asked as he settled in across from her.  
  
"It wasn't particularily stunning, but I am so happy to not be living with the Durselys anymore." Harry said relaxing back into his seat.  
  
"Your not living with the Dursleys?" Hermione asked puzzled slightly that she hadn't known.  
  
"No, you knew that Siruis was aquitted last year, didn't you." Harry asked a bit suprised that she hadn't read it in a paper somewhere.  
  
"Oh, no I didn't know. So your living with him, are you?" Hermione said happy that Harry finally got to live with someone that cared for him.  
  
"Yes, it's so much of a change" Harry said and Hermione nodded, before pulling out "Hogwarts A History" from her bag.  
  
"Hermione, you should have that book memorized by now, why do you still insist on reading it," Harry said amusedly.  
  
"Well, I haven't even touched it since I left for Beaxbatons, so I thought I would refresh myself a bit", Hermione said nonchalantly.  
  
"Sure, sure", Harry said grumpily. He laid back in his seat and closed his eyes. Within a few minutes, Hermione assumed, he fell asleep.  
  
Hermione went back to reading her book, but she was interupted when the compartment door slid open and Draco walked in.  
  
He was alone and strutted in like he owned the place. Hermione giggled slightly as he stuck out his chest and showed off his Head Boy badge.  
  
"I guess we are Head Boy and Girl", Hermione said pointing to her own badge, that she had pinned to the front of her jumper.  
  
"I guess so," Draco said and sitting next to her yanked, "Hogwarts A History", out of her hands.  
  
"Hey I was reading that," Hermione protested trying to snatch the book back.  
  
"Love is pain, pain is bitter," seems to be your favorite quote," Draco said pionting out the French writing all over the front and back inside cover of her book.  
  
"I didn't know you could read French", Hermione said changing the subject.  
  
"Yes, so why such angsty decor", he asked pionting to something she had drawn on one of the pages.  
  
Hermione blushed and smiled at Draco. He handed her back her book and she opened it back up to the same drawing Draco had mentioned.  
  
"This is from my fifth year. I was a right ray of sunshine wasn't I", Hermione said admiring her drawing of and angel whose wings where on fire.  
  
"I can tell," Draco said looking across the way to where Harry lay sleeping.  
  
"Wow, only fifteen minutes onto the train, and the old bugger conks out."  
  
"Shut up, Draco." Hermione said placing her finger to his lips.  
  
Their eyes met and they both listened in closely to the conversation taking place outside their door.  
  
"She was nice enough, not good in bed though. So I had to let her go." came the annoyingly smug voice of Ron Weasley.  
  
"So your going out with Shelia now", came another voice they didn't recognize.  
  
"Yeah, legs for days, big "eyes". She's got it all," Ron said laughing suggestively.  
  
Hermione put her finger to the back of her throat and made a gagging noise as Ron and his friend moved away, speaking loudly about all the girls at Hogwarts and their many exploits.  
  
Draco's eyes where narrowed and he was glaring visiously at the door.  
  
"Draco, I don't think the door is going to attack us, you can stop glaring now", Hermione said lightly.  
  
Draco's head snapped around and he looked at Hermione strangely.  
  
"He's a filthy little git. What do you want me to say", Hermione said and rasing her eyebrows smirked at Draco.  
  
Draco nodded and standing up, tryed to smile at Hermione.  
  
"I'll be back, I just need to go and get my trunk." And then he was off slamming the compartment door a bit forcefully.  
  
Harry's head snapped up, his eyes wide and fearful.  
  
"What happened," He said panickly.  
  
"Nothing, Draco's mad, Ron's a git. Nothing much new", Hermione said.  
  
Harry nodded and looking around once more, went back to sleep.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Hermione, Harry and Draco shared a horseless carriage as they rode up to Hogwarts. Neither boy was speaking, as they where both alittle ticked as they had seen Ron getting into a carraige pulling some girl by the hair.  
  
Hermione was hanging out the window waving to different students as they passed them. Suddenly they came alongside the carriage Ron was in, he was screaming at the same girl he had pulled into his carraige and didn't even notice Hermione staring at him.  
  
Suddenly he turned and seeing her a few feet away gave her the evil eye. Hermione grinning wildly stuck up her middle finger at him and waved happily at him as their carraige pulled in front.  
  
They all could hear him screaming at them even as their carraige stopped and the disembarked. Hermione linked her arms with both Harry and Draco and dragging the two sullen boys up to the front door, shouted.  
  
"It's great to be home!"  
  
A/N: Hello! That chapter wasn't as long as the one before, but I hope you all liked it. I will begin writing the next chapter, so I hope that will be up soon. *********REVIEW********* 


	14. If Only For One Day

Disclaimer: La-La-La, one banana, two banana, three bananas, four, I don't own this song, or Harry Potter.  
  
A/N: I'm back. *insert screams of horror*. I hope you all liked the last chapter. I am hoping I can write the next few chapters a bit fast, but most likely, since I want them to be long and juicy they will take time, and lots of it. Anyways. Who else is excited about summer? I would say that I am, but just today it snowed a couple inches where I live. Blah I want the cold weather to be over. By the way; I know it's cliched and everything for them to both be Head Boy and Girl, but I swear it's inevitable so why not go with it. Haha, don't pay attention to my ramblings, just read the story!  
Chapter 13  
If Just For One Day  
  
"Sometimes I Get So Weird, I Even Freak Myself Out, I Laugh Myself To Sleep, It's My Lullaby, Sometimes I Drive So Fast, Just To Feel The Danger, I Want To Scream, It Makes Me Feel Alive, Is It Enough To Love, Is It Enough To Breath, Somebody Rip My Heart Out, And Leave Me Here To Bleed, Is It Enough To Die, Somebody Save My Life, I'd Rather Be Anything, Tnan Ordinary, Please, To Walk Within The Lines, Would Make My Life So Boring, I Want To Know That I Have Been, To The Extreme, So Knock Me Off My Feet, Come On Now, Give It To Me, Anything To Make Me Feel Alive, Is It Enough To Love, Is It Enough To Breath, Somebody Rip My Heart Out, And Leave Me Here To Bleed, Is It Enough To Die, Somebody Save My Life, I'd Rather Be Anything, But Ordinary, Please, Let Down Your Defences, Use No Common Sense, If You Look, You Will See, That This World Is, Beautiful, I Think, It's Turbulant, Succulant, I Feel Permanent, No Way, I Want To Taste It, Don't Want To Waste It Away, Sometimes I Get So Weird, I Even Freak Myself Out, I Laugh Myself To Sleep, It's My Lullaby, Is It Enough To Love, Is It Enough, Is It Enough To Breath, Somebody Rip My Heart Out, And Leave Me Here To Bleed, Is It Enough To Die, Somebody Save My Life, I'd Rather Be Anything, But Ordinary, Please, Is It Enough, Is It Enough To Die, Somebody Save My Life, I'd Rather Be Anything, But Ordinary, Please, I'd Rather Be Anything, But Ordinary, Please."  
  
~ Avril Lavigne - " Anything But Ordinary"  
  
Hermione took her respective seat at the Gryffindore's amid the murmers. Most of them where happy to see her again, they're now, Head Girl. Some weren't. Among them was Patty LeSable.  
  
A snotty fifth year that remembered book-loving Granger all to well, having been told of by her many times, when Hermione was a prefect.  
  
Ginny sat down next to Hermione and began to talk her ear off. Hermione was trying to listen, but it was quite hard. She glanced over at the Slytherin table where it seemed Draco was having the same dilemna.  
  
Hermione, catching his eye, winked and went back to buttering her bread. All of a sudden, across the table from Hermione, Parvarti Patil squealed and jumped up and down in her seat.  
  
From what Hermione gathered, she was talking about some blonde sixth year boy that she kept calling Kid.  
  
Hermione was puzzled. Was this really the boy's name or was Parvarti calling him a kid. Hermione looked over at "Kid" and saw why she was all a flutter.  
  
The boy was tall, maybe six foot three and he was naturally tan, although he had wonderfuly fair hair, and the some of the bluest eyes Hermione had ever seen. His cheeks where rosy and he was talking animatedly to a girl with long raven hair beside him at the Ravenclaw table.  
  
"Who is he," Hermione asked pointing her fork in the blonde boy's direction.  
  
"Kid Langoria," Ginny remarked nonchalantly, not even looking up from her soup.  
  
"Who," Hermione asked confused slightly.  
  
"He's from Germany. He could be Hitler's chosen youth. He transfered last year. He is quite stuck up," Ginny said nastily. Forgetting to hide her feelings of hatred.  
  
"He seems to be interested in you," Hermione said stating the obvious as Kid had been staring at Ginny all through the meal.  
  
"No he isn't. He is looking at you," Ginny said a bit of hope in her voice.  
  
"No he isn't and you know it," Hermione said. She was quite suprised that Ginny didn't like Kid, as all the other girls at the table seemed to be looking in his direction.  
  
"Ahh blast it he is," Ginny said slightly blushing. She put her head down and began to eat her food at a furious pace.  
  
Hermione went back to her own meal and didn't pay much attention to anything, until Dumbledore got up to give his usaul speech.  
  
"Settle down, settle down. I hope this year will be just as brillaint as the ones before it. Our new Head Boy and Girl are Hermione Granger, and Draco Malfoy. Will the house prefects take the first years to their dormitories," Dumbledore said in his wise and quiet way.  
  
Hermione blushed slightly as the whole table erupted into cheers for their Head Girl. The noise was tumultess, as both Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff where cheering also.  
  
Hermione stood up from the table and gathering the older students around her, led them all off to the Gyffindore common rooms.  
  
They had just started to go down a corridor when they ran into Proffesor McGongall, who beckoned to Hermione to follow her. Beside McGongall was a very skeptical Draco Malfoy.  
  
"See you later, Harry," Hermione said before she followed McGonagall and Draco, down a twisting hallway.  
  
Proffesor McGongall led Hermione to a large portrait of a beautiful cottage, there where no people in sight, just three cats. One was black as ebony, the other white as snow, the third was a chocolatey brown.  
  
"This is Lucifer." McGongall said pointing to the white cat. "That is Venus." She said pointing to the black cat. "And this is Circe." She said finally motioning towards the brown cat.  
  
"Password", mewwed Venus boredly licking her paw.  
  
"What do you want your password to be, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy," McGongall asked.  
  
"How about, Les trois fèlins," Hermione said simply.  
  
"The three felines, it's perfect", Draco said understanding at once.  
  
"Alright, Circe, the password will be, " les trois fèlins," McGonagall said and the brown cat nodded her head slightly.  
  
"Minerva, that annoying tabby across the hall has been mewling at us all day. Please do something about it ," Venus suddenly said staring at Proffesor McGongall.  
  
"I will see what I can do," Minerva said.  
  
The portrait swung open and Hermione and Draco climbed in with Proffesor McGongall close behind.  
  
"You two will be sharing a common room, you each have your own room and you are to share a bathroom. There are protraits in both of your bedrooms that lead to your common rooms. They will use the same password as the regular entrance. Have a good year, Malfoy, Granger," McGongall said and then left out the way she had came.  
  
Hermione took a tentative step onto the black plush rug close by the huge fireplace. Her eyes where gleaming with delight. The room was huge and very well furnished.  
  
There where two couches one green and one red, each with cordinating house colors, for a throw blanket. The fireplace was huge and right now was roaring with warmth.  
  
But what really caught her eyes was that all of the walls, where there were not doors, there was bookcases. Heaving with books about everything you could imagine. It almost looked like Hermione would never have to leave again.  
  
Hermione looked at the door to her room. It was red and had a large gold plaque reading, "Head Girl" on it. Likewise Draco had the same, although his door was green and had a sliver plaque and obviously it did not say Head Girl.  
  
Hermione turned to Draco and squealed, this room was all she could ever hope for. She ran towards him and locked him into a hug. She was strangling him while dancing around in sheer joy.  
  
Finally, after he had pried her off of him, Draco spoke.  
  
"It's nice, very private. Will help when I want to study."  
  
Hermione nodded and went to the third door that was in the middle of the other doors. It was a large oak door and behind it, Hermione found their bathroom.  
  
Like the rest of the rooms up in this half of Hogwarts, the bathroom was immaculately big. It had a huge bath tub and a shower. A toilet, of course, and a double sink with a huge mirror over it.  
  
Hermione closed that door and noticing that Draco had went into his own room, went into her's.  
  
It was a beautiful fairyland. There where no other words to describe it. The bed was a four-poster made of cherry wood and it shined nicely in the dim light. Hermione switched on the light and gasped in delight.  
  
There was a protrait on her wall, of herself. Her protrait self had her nose buried in a book and waved at Hermione without looking up. Hermione smiled kindly, that must be the way into the Gryffindore common room.  
  
Hermione looked at her trunk, that had already been brought up by the house elves, no doubt. But for once in her life time she wasn't thinking of someone else. She was selfishly indulging in herself.  
  
******************************************************************  
  
Later on at dinner, Hermione was telling Ginny about her room and all the other things.  
  
"It's so beautiful, you'll have to see it, Gin." Hermione said happily, digging into the food.  
  
"Oooh. Your so lucky, Hermione. You get to share a common room with Draco," Ginny said a bit whistfully.  
  
Ginny was what you called a classic beauty and although most guys didn't see it. Or chose to ignore it, she was a sort of quiet beauty, just waiting for something, really.  
  
"Hey, Kid, is walking your way, Ginny", Hermione said suddenly, trying subtley to nod with her head in his direction.  
  
Ginny gasped and dropped her fork. Kid reached their table and him and Ginny went down at the same time to retrieve it. They ended up bumping heads and although Ginny was blushing furiously now, she had a blissfully happy smile on for once.  
  
Kid laughed and handed Ginny her fork. From what Hermione heard they made plans to "study" the next day. Hermione doubted much work would get done. But then that's just the way Hermione was.  
  
"Bye Gin," she said quietly, as Ginny walked off with Kid in a bit of a daze.  
  
For some reason, it was then that Hermione realized that almost everyone at the Gryffindore table were a couple. Parvarti was sweet talking to Seamus Finnigan on her right and across the table, a couple of younger kids where holding hands and talking happily to each other.  
  
It made Hermione a bit sad. She hadn't noticed until then that it was lonely being by yourself.  
  
******************************************************************  
  
Draco on the other hand was wishing, no, praying, that he could be alone. Pansy was trying to cozy up to him again. It almost a tradition in itself as it happened every year.  
  
"I told you Pansy. Bugger off," Draco said coldly. Staring past Pansy's pug face to the Gryffindore table.  
  
He noticed that Hermione was looking quite dejected and he frowned. He didn't see Ron in sight and nobody else seemed to bothering her so what was wrong?  
  
"That's not a very nice thing to say to your future wife," Pansy said cruely.  
  
This thought made Draco cringe and he turned to Pansy a bit depressed, becuase as far as he could see, marraige to Pansy seemed inevitable.  
  
"Pansy, why do you want to marry me. I don't love you. I am never nice to you and still you torture me with the thought of marraige," Draco said dully.  
  
Pansy sighed loudly and for once in her life, told the truth.  
  
"It's because, no matter what you do, or what you say to hurt me, I still love you."  
  
She said it so sadly that Draco almost felt bad for her. But then she snapped back into herself and flipping her hair behind her, laughing and gigling, she pointed rudely to a Slytherin sixth year and a Ravenclaw fourth year.  
  
They seemed to be having a lovers spat, and although Slytherins where said to be cunning and evil, this certain Ravenclaw was giving them all a run for their money.  
  
She almost had the poor Slytherin boy in tears. But she kept on going. It seemed she was breaking him down. Making him lower than her so she could hurt him.  
  
"You know you have no friends. Not with that lot. Everyone hates you. You might as well die."  
  
The girl said scathingly and Draco looked away. People like that made him sick, which was bad as, he was one of those people. At least he used to be. He wondered suddenly. How many girls had, he made cry, because he was stupid and power hungry.  
  
Suddenly he heard a weird sound. Everything had gone queit and the girl had stop screaming. Draco looked up, Hermione was standing next to the Slytherin boy and she was looking very angry.  
  
"Twenty points from Ravenclaw for such a rude display, Miss Berg," Hermione snapped coldly.  
  
The girl stalked away muttering about "the evil Head Girl". Hermione turned to the boy now.  
  
"Don't let her degrade you like that, Mr. Johnson," she said simply and walked out the huge oak doors.  
  
Draco looked around. People where just starting to get back to talking, although Draco was sure they were talking about what had just happened. Draco got out of his seat, no longer wanting to tolerate Pansy and not hungry either.  
  
He strutted out the doors right after Hermione. Making everyone turn and speculate about the Head Boy and Girl.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
"So having fun being "Miss Powerful Head Girl", Draco said mockingly as he threw himself onto the green couch in their common room.  
  
"I really don't like that girl, I think she is evil," Hermione said ignoring Draco's little comment.  
  
"Really, I just think she is mean spirited, not evil," Draco said.  
  
"You don't know here really though, do you," Hermione said knowing the answer already.  
  
"Well..... no I don't," Draco said frowning at Hermione. She was concentrating on that fire just a bit to much.  
  
"She dated Ron. Before I did. I think he was cheating on me with her, while we were going out. When they were going out, she was so rude to me. Shoving me out of the way for things, making out with Ron in front of me, just to spite me," Hermione said sadly.  
  
"Yes, but as I think we have all agreed, Ron is a bloody git. Who cares who he shags," Draco said letting the last part slip out.  
  
"Yes, it doesn't matter to me," Hermione said in a tone that suggested that she did indeed care a great deal.  
  
"It used to be so great. Then it all fell apart, and all the while I always wondered; why am I not good enough for him," Hermione said suddenly breaking into sobs.  
  
Draco got up from his couch and slowly moved to sit on the floor before Hermione's. Tears were streaking down her face at a feverous pace and Draco did his best to try and wipe them away with his hand.  
  
"Shhh... Hermione don't ever think you aren't good enough. He wasn't good enough for you," Draco said softly as Hermione stared at him.  
  
"Your right, I am better than him," Hermione said resignededly and she wiped her own eyes on her sleeves.  
  
"I will be okay," Hermione said more to herself than to Draco.  
  
"Yes, you will," Draco affirmed and Hermione smiled.  
  
Suddenly Draco leaned into Hermione and kissed her lightly. When he pulled back he was smirking and although Hermione was blushing she was trying to hide an evil smile that was creeping across her face.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
"So Hermione how are you getting along with Malfoy," Ginny asked the next day at breakfast.  
  
"It's alright," Hermione said and she blushed deep red, hoping that Ginny didn't notice.  
  
"What happened last night? Your blushing," Ginny said evily grinning at Hermione.  
  
"Nothing happened,"Hermione said reisignededly.  
  
"As in; everything happened, but I'm not going to tell you," Ginny inquired.  
  
"Exactly," Hermione said and waved to Harry who was making his way over to them.  
  
"Hello Harry," Ginny said unfazed in the slightlest to be so close to the Boy Who Lived.  
  
"Hello Ginny, how are you," Harry asked sitting between Hermione and Ginny quickly.  
  
"Alright, but I think it's going to get better," Ginny said smirking, she gestured with her spoon to Draco, who was walking towards them.  
  
"A bit early to start the insults now isn't it Malfoy," Hermione said on a sudden inspiration, as Draco stood before them.  
  
She wasn't stupid. She knew one of the Slytherins would tell his father about everything that he did, she needed to make it look good for him.  
  
"Never to early with you, Granger," Draco said swith his eyebrows knitted in puzzlement.  
  
He didn't know what the hell Hermione was up to, but as usaul he kept his mouth closed and waited for things to play out. Harry was starring at her odly now, and so was Ginny. They must suspect something was up.  
  
"Yes, well run along, you little ferret. We are tired of you already," Hermione said airily, waving the butter knife around.  
  
"Voldemorts on the rise, and your his next target, Granger," Draco said refusing to call her Mudblood.  
  
He was telling the truth actaully, and though most everyone else thought this was another fight between the Head Boy and Girl, the Slytherin's where very aware that what he was saying was true. They had been informed, no doubt.  
  
"Well at least me father isn't his hit man," Hermione said trying not to laugh and give the whole thing away.  
  
"Shut up, Granger, and watch your bushy little head doesn't get Avadaed," Draco said sneeringly, like Hermione he too was fighting hard to control his laughter.  
  
So he stormed off before he started guffawing and made himself look stupid. Hermione turned to Ginny and Harry who where looking quite confused and smirked.  
  
"What was that all about," Harry asked his green eyes boring into her's.  
  
"Just a little side show, from the Peanut gallery," Hermione said jokingly.  
  
Ginny suddenly smiled knowingly.  
  
"It was all an act, so no one would run to his father, right?"  
  
"Yeah, you guessed it," Hermione said and stabbed her toast voilently.  
  
"You must really hate Draco's father," Ginny said stating the obvious.  
  
"Why would you say that," Hermione said rather coldly.  
  
"Well your brutalizing your toast," Harry said taking the knife from her and putting it out of her reach.  
  
"Sorry," Hermione said remorsefully.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Later on when Hermione was in Potions she realized something she had been denying all along. No matter what she said, it was all in her head, or rather her heart.  
  
She liked Draco, heck she might even love him, and maybe she always had. After all she had never hated him. More disliked his attitude. She had even half wittingly stuck up for him a few times.  
  
She looked at the blonde who was sitting a few desks in front of her with Crabbe. It was as if her eyes on him drew him to turn around. He stared at her. He stared right into her soul and Hermione felt naked sitting there next to Harry.  
  
She shivered slightly and returned Draco's gaze. There was something intense in the way he looked at her and she liked it.  
  
She knew in that heart of hers, that even if she had thought it, she would have never really loved Ron. She cared deeply for him and Harry, but not in the way she thought.  
  
They were both too boring, predictable, and annoying sturdy. Hermione had once thought that's what she wanted, but sometimes when she was in the library she would just know that she was more adventurous, wanted to live on the edge a bit. Even if it was just for a little while.  
  
Suddenly Snape had dismissed class and everyone hurried to leave the cold dungoen as fast as they could. Hermione and Draco where the only ones who took their time backing their books back into their bags.  
  
Hermione swung her bag ont her should and walked out the door, Draco trailing closely behind her. She watched as the kids in front of her slowly disapeared from veiw and her and Draco were left alone.  
  
"That was interesting at breakfast, I didn't understand at first, but then I got it," Draco said breaking the silence.  
  
Hermione turned to him and meeting his eyes once again, gulped and told him what she thought,  
  
"Draco, I like you. I don't know if you like me, but I just thought I would tell you," Hermione said in a rush.  
  
"I know you like me, I like you too," Draco said not getting at what Hermione meant at all.  
  
"No, Draco. I don't think of you as a friend. I would love to date you, kiss you, be everywhere with you," Hermione said slowly this time, trying to make him understand.  
  
Draco's eyebrows almost disappeared up his forehead, and while he stood there his mouth hanging open and his eyebrows almost gone, Hermione put her arms around his neck and standing on her tipie-toes kissed him passionately  
  
Draco wasn't to shocked this time, but it took a minute for him to register what was even going on.  
  
Hermione and him had left Potions, together, they had been walking, together, they had stopped and were talking, together, and now they where kissing, together.  
  
While Draco's mind was going into overload, Hermione pulled back whispered somthing and left him standing in the middle of the empty corrider, a stupid smile on his face and a dazed look in his eyes.  
  
A/N: Omg! That was quite fun to write. I really hope you all liked it. I will be working on posting the next chapter. *********REVIEW********* 


	15. Living A Lie

Disclaimer: If you really think that I own Harry Potter, then do you also believe that O.J. didn't do it?  
  
A/N: You can get away with murder, but you can't tell the whole town and expect to get away with cheating on someone. Anyways, I have also posted this story on TomFelton.com's message boards. I am glad people there like it too. This time I am not saying a word about what is going on in the is chapter. Maybe it's because partly I am not quite sure myself and I want it to be a suprise. READ!  
  
Chapter 15  
  
Living A Lie  
  
"One Boy, One Girl, Two Hearts, Their World, Time Goes By, Secrets Rise, One More Sad Song, Tears Shed, She's Gone, She'd Take It Back, If She Only Could, And All The Perfect Words, They Seem So Wrong, She's Gone, You Wish That, You Could Learn To See, The Door Is Closed, And You Wish You Could Be, Alone With You, Alone With Me, What Can I Do, I Cannot Breath, My Heart Is Torn, For All To See, Alone With You, Alone With Me, Best Friend, Worst Thing, She's Been Cheating, Friend Decieves, She Leaves, Last Day, She Cries, Whisperes Goodbye, She Walks Once More, Out That Door, And All The Perfect Word's, They Seem So Wrong, She's Gone, You Wish That, You Could Learn To See, The Door Is Closed, And You Wish You Could Be, Alone With You, Alone With Me, What Can I Do, I Cannot Breathe, My Heart Torn, For All To See, Alone With You, Alone With Me, Please, Please, Please, Please Stay, Don't Go Away, The Hardest Thing, Is Letting Go Of You, Stay, Don't Go Away, The Hardest Thing, Is Letting Go Of You, What Can I Do, Alone With You, Alone With Me, What Can I Do, I Cannot Breath, Alone With, Alone With, Alone With You, Alone With Me, What Can I Do, I Cannot Breathe, My Heart Is Torn, For All To See, Alone With You, Alone With. "  
  
The All-American Rejects - "One More Sad Song"  
  
Hermione was in seventh heaven for the rest of the week. Needless to say, she and Draco would lay cuddled up in front of the fire in their common room for hours, talking about anything at all.  
  
It was Monday and Hermione had Potions. It made it really easy to talk with Draco, as he was her Potions partner. She had told Harry about what was going on and he didn't mind.  
  
She had also told Ginny and Amanda, who both said that they were wondering when Draco and Hermione would get together. Hermione was walking alone down towards the dungeons when she bumped into someone.  
  
"Watch it," drawled a familiar voice and Hermione looked up from what she had been doing.  
  
Draco was walking along beside her, a mischievious grin plastered to his handsome features. She playfuly pushed him into the closest wall and kept on walking.  
  
When she got to the Potions door, Draco, who was trying hard to keep a glare on his face, walked up behind her and picked her up. She was squealing and laughing and Draco was smiling brightly. He walked into the empty Potions room and dropped her on her chair, at their desk.  
  
"That will teach you to push me into walls," Draco said rather stupidly.  
  
Hermione looked up at him, one eyebrow cocked and a Your-Being-Stupid look on her face. Draco laughed and sat down next to her.  
  
Hermione stopped looking at him and brought out her Potions book. No one besides her friends knew about her and Draco and that was the way it had to stay.  
  
Draco brought out his own book and began writing something on his parchment. The door burst open and the whole room errupted in boys and girls talking loudly.  
  
Everyone filed in, not even really noticing that Draco and Hermione had been sitting there all alone. Hermione glanced up for a second and catching Harry's eye, waved.  
  
Noticing Pansy glaring at her, she pointed to Draco and making a nasty face and rolling her eyes, went back to her writing. Pansy, seeming satisfied sat down at a desk a few seats away with Neville.  
  
Draco suddenly turned to her and his usual smirk in place, poked Hermione with his quill.  
  
"Can I see your notes," he said briskly, waving his quill over all the paper she had spread out.  
  
"No, I'm not helping you get a good grade, Malfoy," Hermione said coldly.  
  
"Aren't we snappy this morning. Potter, finally tell you he can't stand you," Draco drawled making sure to put on a good how for his fellow Slytherins.  
  
"No actaully, it's you nobody can stand. Ever wonder why you have no friends," Hermione snapped back.  
  
"Shut up, Granger," Draco said icily and turned back to the Potions ingredients that he had been pulling out of his bag.  
  
"Why should I, Malfoy," Hermione said putting a vial of newt eyes down rather hard on the desk.  
  
"Because your muggle-born," Draco said simply. He had stopped using the word Mudblood altogether and was trying not to resort to it.  
  
"Oh so being a pureblood male asshole is so much better," Hermione inquired.  
  
"Yes," Draco said smirking at her and putting the last of his Potions supplies, a small tube of dragon blood, onto the desk.  
  
Hermione said nothing as Snape whipped into the class room, looking evilly smug about something.  
  
"Class; we will be making a rare and deadly posion today and I advise all of you to use the utmost caution while making this potion. We will be making Rezoara. As some of you will know, this is a posion to kill the drinker slowly and leave not a trace of itself," Snape said almost gleefully.  
  
"Wonder who he'd posion," Draco said sarcastically to Hermione.  
  
She glanced at Harry who wasn't looking to hot. He was pale and a sweat had broken out on his paisley brow.  
  
"What I would like to know is who would you posion," Hermione said very quietly so no one could hear her.  
  
"Voldemort," Draco said simply and stared at her for a long moment.  
  
"The ingreedients you will need are already written on the board in front of you. Please be careful."  
  
"Longbottom you will not be making this potion as you are incompitent. You will instead make a simple truth serum here are the ingreedients, don't mess up this time Longbottom," Snape said nastily.  
  
Hermione raised her hand, but Snape, who loved ignoring her flopping hand, went about leering over all the rest of the students.  
  
"Sir, why are we making something so dangerous, no one who knows how to make this potion has good intentions," Hermione ventured as Snape came close to their table.  
  
"Mis Granger, when will it ever uccur to you that no one cares what your loud mouth has to say," Snape snapped and turning his back to her, walked away.  
  
All the Gryffindores were hissing, and the Slytherins were laughing out loud. Hermione looked madder than anyone had ever seen her.  
  
She whipped out her wand and would have probably cursed Snape if Draco hadn't grabbed her wand hand and with a lot of force, brought to rest by her side again.  
  
"Think about it Granger," Draco whispered before sitting back down and putting back on his mask of indifference.  
  
Hermione calm again, sat back down Her face was an ugly glare for the rest of the class.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
"That stupid bastard," Hermione ranted once she was alone with Draco in their common room.  
  
"He had no right to say that to you," Draco said calmly, sitting down on his couch and patting his lap for Hermione to sit on.  
  
"What's worse is, sometimes I feel like he is right," Hermione said, her face red with anger, as she curled up on Draco's lap.  
  
"Don't ever think that, Moine," Draco whispered into her ear, as he stroked her hair.  
  
"Draco, do you think I am a Know-It-All," Hermione asked suddenly sitting up.  
  
"Yes, of course," Draco said grinning at her.  
  
"Yes, but am I really annoying and bossy," Hermione asked.  
  
"All the time," Draco said truthfully.  
  
"Draco!" Hermione yelled and hit him with a pillow.  
  
"Your not annoying. Your only bossy sometimes, don't worry, everyone adores you," Draco said.  
  
"Your such a charmer," Hermione said smiling and leaning back onto his lap.  
  
"I know," Draco said smirking.  
  
Hermione leaned her head back and for the next hour they snogged passionately by the fire.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
It was the night of the opening ball and Hermione was just putting on her dress. Even though her and her mother had talked about either a red, or purple dress, Hermione's dress had ended up being a beautiful forest green.  
  
She was wearing all her jewelry from her parents and some pretty silver and diamond earings Amanda had bought her for Christmas. Overall she looked stunning with her short hair curled into tiny ringlets.  
  
She wasn't going with anyone to this dance. It hadn't been a requirement and since Draco was her boyfriend and it was a secret, it was better if she flew solo.  
  
Hermione didn't quite get the title for the dance, as it wasn't the beginning of really anything. But since it was right before Christmas, she didn't mind.  
  
Hermione walked into the Great Hall arm in arm with Ginny. Ginny's date was Kid, and although she said it was becuase she felt sorry for him, Hermione knew, from the way Ginny kept blushing and grinning happily, she wasn't at all upset by her ordeal.  
  
Harry was sitting at a table. With him was Athena of all people. Hermione smiled. Athena and Harry had met each other because of Hermione. She had introduced them one day and they had immediatly clicked.  
  
Hermione had no hard feelings towards Athena, for liking Draco. As she thought that anyone who wasn't attracted to him at some point, was crazy.  
  
Kid walked up to Ginny and kissing her on the hand, gave her a red rose. Ginny giggle and turning as crimson as her hair, walked off with him in a daze. Hermione was left by the door alone.  
  
But she wasn't alone for long, as some boy she didn't know came and asked her to dance. He was kind of short for her, but he was cute and she didn't have anyone else to dance with, so naturally she said yes.  
  
They danced to a slow song and when it ended, the boy kissed her on her cheek and left. Hermione was standing in the middle of a sea of people and yet she was utterly alone.  
  
Suddenly someone tapped her on her shoulder. She spun around and came face to face with a pair of familiar green eyes.  
  
"Can I have this dance," Harry asked and Hermione grinning, nodded and they began to dance to the next slow dance. And on and on it went like that for what seemed like hours to Hermione.  
  
She had already danced with Harry three times when he came up to her again and asked her to dance. Again it was a slow dance. For some odd reason she hadn't even danced to one fast dance the whole night.  
  
Hermione rested her head on Harry's shoulder. An hour or two gone and she hadn't even spotted Draco. Then, almost as if thinking about him conjured him up for her, a sivery blonde head appeared through the crowd.  
  
He was dancing elegantly with Blaise Zambine. Hermione never had noticed the girl much before, but her raven hair and brown eyes contrasted with Draco's so well, it was hard not to be envious.  
  
Suddenly the song ended and Harry left Hermione to find Athena. A fast song started to play and Hermione looked longingly at Draco. Blaise had just started dancing with some othe guy and Draco was standing there staring at Hermione.  
  
It was if time froze. There was only the two of them in the room. Hermione walked to Draco and without a word, Draco put his hands on her waist and they began to grind.  
  
Almost everyone in the crowd stopped dancing to see the strangest thing they had ever seen. Hermione Granger, the Gryffindore book-worm was grinding with Draco Malfoy, bad boy Slytherin.  
  
Hermione and Draco were oblivious to the fact that they were the only ones dancing anymore and that everyone was staring at them. Suddenly through the crowd Ginny cried, "Give it to him, Hermione."  
  
Everyone shrieked with excitment and Draco and Hermione danced even faster. The sweat was pouring off the two in buckets, but they kept on dancing, their bodies rubbing against each other.  
  
Soon the rest of the people went back to dancing, but all of them had their eyes on Hermione and Draco. It was an intense spiritual thing, in a way.  
  
Suddenly the music stopped and the lights went up. Everyone booed and hissed, but were all soon herded out of the Great Hall. Hermione and Draco were walking together, although with all the comotion no one seemed to notice.  
  
They where both grinning like idiots and Hermione's hair was out of place and messy. Ginny slowed down and waited for the two to catch up to her.  
  
"That was great," She said happily, after she had gotten a kiss from Kid, who was off to his own dorms now.  
  
"It was crazy," Hermione said in a dazed voice.  
  
Ginny whistled and whispering something into Hermione's ear, that made her flush even more then she already was, headed off after the rest of the Gryffindores.  
  
Hermione and Draco walked silently back to their own dormitory. They weren't holding hands, but they were walking close enough, so that their shoulders touched.  
  
"What did Ginny say to you," Draco asked as they both walked through the portrait hole.  
  
"Nothing," Hermione said blushing against her will.  
  
"It must have been something, your all flustered," Draco said evilly as he smirked at Hermione.  
  
"No, it's not for you to hear," Hermione said deffensively and tried to walk into her room.  
  
"No. Come on lets hear it," Draco said running after her and pinning her to her door frame.  
  
"No," Hermione said stubbornly.  
  
"Even if I do this," Draco asked and he began to tickle her without mercy.  
  
"Give," He said as he tickled her stomach and she was doubled up over with laughter.  
  
"Fine, fine," Hermione wheezed and Draco immediatly let go of her.  
  
"She said, Someone's gonna get lucky tonight," Hermione said after she had righted herself. She blushed again and Draco smirked.  
  
"I think she was right," He said and Hermione smacked him.  
  
"What, I'm a guy. What did you want me to say? Yuck, not with her; she's muggleborn," Draco asked innocently.  
  
"No, more like I respect her as a person," Hermione said and Draco kissed her neck, making her moan.  
  
"Ahaha, your such a push over, Granger," Draco said grinning at her loss of control.  
  
"Oh and your not," Hermione asked as she ran her fingertips up and down his muscular chest.  
  
"No, you'll have to do better than that," Draco said and Hermione, smirking like a cat, pulled his head down and blew sensously into his ear.  
  
Draco shivered and muttered, "That's better". Hermione giggled and the game continued on. Until you can guess what happened.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
The next morning Draco awoke feeling absolutly glorious. He turned on his side and holding his head up with his arm stared at the beautiful figure beside him. She was such a masterpeice when she was asleep.  
  
She tended to annoy him when she opened her mouth, or maybe that was to please him. He had to think about that. Suddenly Hermione small red lips opened and she yawned, the cutest yawn Draco had ever heard.  
  
It was more of a sigh then anything. She turned over and her eyes popped open, so that she staring into Draco's eyes. She smirked and just to make him mad, rolled over and closed her eyes again.  
  
Draco growled and putting his arms around her back, pulled her towards himself. Hermione didn't make a sound, but her face told the story; she was grinning like a person in love, because she was.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
The year flew by in a huge whirl and unsually there was not a word about Voldemort. Harry was quite a happy camper, to say the least. He and Athena where now dating and Hermione couldn't think of a more perfect couple.  
  
Draco and Hermione were very very close. Somehow everyone knew there was something going on between their Gryffindore Head Girl and their Slytherin Head Boy.  
  
Draco was a mess. He was happy, yet he was supposed to be using Hermoine to get information. It was an awful feeling, to be betraying the only person he had ever really loved.  
  
Hermione was so happy that she didn't notice when Draco went quiet and seemed all depressed. Her grades, if it was possible, where better than ever, and all her teachers, even Snape, had to give her credit.  
  
She would be a very powerful witch, she always had been. But being with Draco had made her reach heights that no one ever thought she could. She was even practicing magic without her wand.  
  
She loved her wand dearly, but had realized if she was ever without she utterly deffenseless.  
  
So Proffesor McGongall had been helping her. Minerva couldn't do magic without her wand herself, and Hermione was the only student she had ever seen attempt such a thing. But Hermione was talented and she was picking it up quickly.  
  
Hermione was now learning how to do spells thats she had learned to do last year.  
  
*************************************************************  
  
Draco was sitting on a rock beside the lake. It was rather chilly out, but he didn't mind. His heart was thing that was cold around here. How could he keep on hurting Hermione, who had done nothing but good for him.  
  
His spirits were sinking lower than they had been before, during the summer, when he had pushed Hermione away. His clear blue eyes scanned the sky. It wasn't too cloudy, but what few clouds were out, were black and ominious.  
  
It was going to rain. Great, that would just go right with his mood. Draco wrapped his cloak a bit more tighter around himself.  
  
He was almost going off the edge again. Becoming someone who would rather hurt themselves and die, then to live on another day.  
  
He picked at a thread coming loose from his cloak. He knew what he had to do. Yet he was afraid to do it. He had to let Hermione go, she would be better off alone and alive, then with him for a short time and then dead.  
  
His father had wanted him to get close to Hermione, but Draco knew he never intended for his only son to fall in love with her.  
  
Lucius wanted Draco to marry some high society pureblood girl that would give him lots of children with blonde hair and blue eyes just like himself. All boys of course. Females were weak and inferior to males.  
  
Draco knew from experience that his father hated women. Not in the way your thinking. He thought they were unfit to live and that they had one purpose; to produce heirs.  
  
What no one knew was that his mother had actaully had two children in her lifetime. Draco and a little girl that had never even gotten the chance to live. As soon as Lucuis found out it was a girl, he made Narcissa have an abortion.  
  
She had cried for months after. Sobbing over her lost, baby girl. It had been some of the worst months of Draco's life. His mother had been miserable and his father had been irrate.  
  
Draco put his head in his hands. He was lost and very confused. He wanted to jump off a bridge, Avada Kadavra himself, or just tie a rock around his wait and jump into the lake.  
  
He stood up wiped at his cloak and went back up to the castle, to break Hermione's heart.  
  
A/N: I wanted this to be longer, but I just couldn't think of much to add. I admit this chapter is pretty sad. At least at the end. Next chapter will be really sad and angsty. I probably should up the rating on this fiction, as the theme has possible rape in it, there's language and now sexual themes. O well. I will do that later. If you wanted to know what "fast song" they danced to, I like to think they danced to Fatman Scoop Ft. Crooklyn Clan - "Love Like This". Download it if you like. It's a great song. *** 


	16. But Your The One I Breath For

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, wait, wait, what is Harry Potter, Ahh now you gots me all confused!  
  
A/N: Hello out there. Thank you so much to all my reviewers!!!! I thought to answer a question that some people have asked. Yes, I know that it would be better if Draco just told Hermione everything about his father and Voldemort, but that's not how the story is gonna go. I've thought about it and it's essential to this story that Hermione gets her heart broken. I am sorry. I hope you have been reading and liking this story. Soon it will be over. Hopefully you have cried and laughed along the way. Hehe, there are only four more chapters to go, but they will be long and really good. This chapter is a sort of beginning of the end type thing. Sort of. Anyways, none of you know; this is how Hermione will take a new path and become what she didn't want to become the most. But hey can't tell you too much. Here we go!  
  
Chapter 16  
  
But Your The One I Breath For  
  
"If Your Not The One, Then Why Does, My Soul Feel Glad, Today, If Your Not The One, Then Why Does My Hand, Fit Yours, This Way, If You Are Not Mine, Then Why Does, Your Heart Return My Call, If You Are Not Mine, Would I Have The Strength, To Stand At All, Never Know What The Future Brings, But I Know, Your Here With Me Now, We'll Make It Through, And I Hope You Are, The One I Share, My Life With, I Don't Want To Run Away, But I Can't Take It, I Don't Understand, If I'm Not Made For You, Then Why Does My Heart Tell Me, That I Am, Is There Anyway, That I Could Stay, In Your Arms, If I Didn't Need You, Then Why Am I Crying, On My Bed, If I Don't Need You, Then Why Does Your Name, Resound, Through My Head, If Your Not For Me, Then Why Does This Distance, Maim My Life, If Your Not For Me, Then Why Do I Dream, Of You As My Wife, I Don't Know Why, You So Far Away, But I Know, That This Much Is True, We'll Make It Through, And I Hope You Are The One, I Share My Life With, And I Wish That You Could Be, The One I Die With, And I Pray, Your The One, I Build My Home With, I Hope I Love You All My Life, I Don't Want To Run Away, But I Can't Take It, I Don't Understand, If I'm Not Made For You, Then Why Does My Heart Tell Me, That I Am, Is There Anyway, That I Could Stay, In Your Arms, Cuz I Miss You, Body And Soul, So Strong, That It Takes My Breathe Away, And I Breath You, Into My Heart, And Pray For The Strength, To Stand Today, Cuz I Love You, Whether It's Wrong Or Right, I Know I Can't Be With You, Tonight, You Know My Heart, Is By Your Side, I Don't Want To Run Away, But I Can't Take It, I Don't Understand, If I'm Made For You, Then Why Does My Heart Tell Me, That I Am, Is There Anyway, That I Could Stay, In Your Arms,"  
  
~ Daniel Bedingfield - " If Your Not The One"  
  
It had been a month and Draco still hadn't done anything about his problem. Soon, in just two weeks, they would be graduating and leaving Hogwarts for the last time.  
  
Hermione was sitting by the fire in their common room, studying all about cleaning spells, so that she could do them without her wand. Draco came in looking downcast and gloomy.  
  
Hermione looked up and for the first time, noticed something was wrong. Draco sat next to Hermione and took her hands in his.  
  
"Hermione, I really care for you, but I just don't think we can be together like this anymore," Draco said quite suddenly and it took a few minutes for it to register with Hermione, as to what he was babbling about.  
  
"What," she asked in a meek voice, her heart breaking all the while.  
  
"I am sorry Hermione," Draco said somberly.  
  
"No, but I love you Draco. What is wrong, I was sure you loved me too," Hermione cried, her face becoming a river of tears.  
  
"I know, but I don't love you," Draco said and he flinched as Hermione let out a wounded sound and collapsed onto the couch, her whole body wracked with gut-wrenching sobs.  
  
"I don't understand. You didn't have problem yesterday," Hermione suddenly said, sitting up and whipping her tears on her sleeve.  
  
"Hermione, it's complicated. I'm in love with someone else," Draco said hoping that Hermione wouldn't become suicidal over his next few words.  
  
"What! Draco who, who so I can kill her, your mine," Hermione said and she did look quite murderous right then.  
  
"No, Hermione. If you love me you'll let me go," Draco said and he stood up.  
  
"I do love you, but it's to hard to let go," Hermione sadly. Strangely the tears had stopped and she was looking quite depressed.  
  
"You'll live again," Draco said and he left Hermione to feel like she had been hit in the stomach many times over.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Graduation was today. Hermione looked wonderful in her school robes and a black cap with a red and gold tassel. As Head Girl she had to give a small speech and Draco would also give a small speech.  
  
The butterflies where bumping around in her stomach and even though her and Draco had broken up, she felt strong. She had Harry for support. She was going to work for the Ministry of Magic for a time.  
  
She wanted to be an Auror. She had been training, it seemed, all her life for it, and now it was finally about to come to pass. She was so nervous for the graduation ceremony though. Her parents would be there, along with her little sister, who was finally not hooked up to at least a dozen machines and all her friends were there standing around her.  
  
Big grins adorned all of their faces. Hermione was the only one not smiling in the whole room. Even Draco, who she had been selfconciously watching out of the corner of her eye, was laughing and talking with Blaise Zambini.  
  
Hermione couldn't help it, but she felt very jealous. Blaise and Draco weren't dating , 'yet' she added to herself, but they were extremely close.  
  
Blaise swept her long black hair away from her face and gave Draco a big hug before going and talking to Dean Thomas. Draco had been trying his hardest to not turn around and meet Hermione's brown eyes, but with Blaise gone who couldn't help himself.  
  
Hermione stared into his silvery-blue eyes and she felt swept away, just like all the previous times. Draco was the one to break contact and he turned away swiftly a pained expression creeping across his face before he put his mask of indifference back on.  
  
Hermione took a deep breath and hearing Dumbledore announce her name, she quickly walked out from behind the curtain and onto the stage. She was blinded by the lights for a second and a little disoriented by the flashing camera's, but somehow she made it to the rased platform where she was to say her peace.  
  
"This year has been the greatest of my life, and I hope that all of my fellow classmates feel the same way. My speech is short, but I hope it weighs heavily on your minds when I am done. I would like to tell a story of a boy who unwittingly made me want to be an Auror. You all may know him as The Boy Who Lived, but I have always know him simply as Harry.  
  
My story takes place during our fifth year here at Hogwarts. Me and Ron Weasley had, had a spat over some trivialy matter and Harry was trying to mediate between us. He told me that you can't fight evil with evil or everything is all wrong. I believed in those words then and now. Forever my friends will be my inspiration. Thank you,"  
  
Hermione finished to tumultous applaus. She went and sat in an empty chair beside Dumbledore at the Head Table. She looked around and seeing her parents, waved cheerfully to them.  
  
"Now we will have our Head Boy, Draco Malfoy say a short speech," Dumbledore said and Draco strutted out from the curtain.  
  
"I am sure you all think that after the Head Girl's speech, mine would suck, but hopefully that is not so. Everyone that I have grown up with these past few years, or should I say pretended to grow up with? Anyways, those are the people who really molded my future. Some parents think that just because they said something, means that we will listen. Well I have to say that friends really make you who you are. So always pick your friends wisely.  
  
I didn't believe that I could ever be more, or less than a Slytherin pureblood who was second best in all his classes. But a friend of mine, made me see that you can be who ever you want to be, nothing is impossible and no star is out of reach, and with that I am going to sit down now and let Dumbledore talk,"  
  
Draco said and he too sat on the other side of Dumbledore. Dumbledore stood up and holding his arms out, as he so often did, told the audience who would be presenting which person with what diploma.  
  
Finally all the teacher's stood up as one and Dumbledore proceeded to call the students names one at a time. The person who was called would walk onto the stage, looking scared, but over all very happy.  
  
Hermione and Draco were the last to get their diploma's and the whole room cheered loudly, as a smiling Minerva McGongall handed Hermione her scroll. Hermione, who was beaming waved to everyone and left the stage to walk among the crowd and congradulate everyone and be congradulated.  
  
Hermione walked over to her mother who was holding a little sleeping Keyelle in her arms. Her mother had the biggest proud smile on her face and Hermione smiled back at her.  
  
"Congradulations, sweetie," Bridget said and gave Hermione a one-handed hug.  
  
"Thanks, mum," Hermione said and handed her diploma to her mother.  
  
"We'll have to frame this," Bridget said and tucked the scroll away in her bag.  
  
"Yeah," Hermione said as Harry jumped over a fold up chair and enfolded her in a warm embrace.  
  
"Great job, Moine," he whispered in her ear and giving her a squeeze let her go and walked off to join Athena who was standing with her stiff and kind of scary parents.  
  
"You can go and join your friends, you father and I are going to go home," Bridget said as Hermione's father hugged her and they left.  
  
Hermione waved bye to them and then turned around. Harry was having a party at his godfather's house and she was invited. So was Draco. She wasn't to happy about having to see him everywhere she went, but she had to get over it.  
  
Hermione made her way over to Athena and Harry and they all left the Great Hall laughing and chatting about many things.  
  
*************************************************************  
  
'I'm all alone', Hermione thought to herself she walked aimlessly around the crowded living room in Siruis' flat. Blaise Zambini suddenly popped up from nowhere.  
  
"Hello, I am Blaise Zambini," she said smiling and she held out her hand for Hermione to shake.  
  
"I knew that, I'm Hermione Granger," Hermione said shaking Blaise's hand vigoriously.  
  
"I knew that," Blaise said and she smiled again, making Hermione feel stupid and unbeautiful in the process.  
  
"Who doesn't know you, you were our Head Girl," Blaise said and she grabbed Hermione's arm and walked her towards the punch table.  
  
"Do you want a drink, Hermione," Blaise asked and Hermione nodded her head no.  
  
"Aright, but I want one, I'm thirsty," Blaise said and she picked up a cup brimming with red liquid.  
  
"Blaise, why are you being so nice to me," Hermione asked, it was a thought that had been nagging her ever since Blaise came up to her.  
  
"Well, for one we are out of school, there is no more rivalry between us, second I am lonely and needed someone to talk to. A few of the Slytherin's here don't like me. They say I have dirty blood because my grandfather was a muggle," Blaise said she turned a becoming pink as she admitted to having a muggle in her family.  
  
"I know all about being told you have dirty blood," Hermione said quietly.  
  
"Yes, I know," Blaise said and she grabbed Hermione's arm again and led her into the next room where a bunch of kid's were dancing.  
  
"I always wanted to befriend you, to tell the truth. I was just always so busy and for someone reason believed that there was time," Blaise said truthfully and Hermione nodded her head.  
  
"Is there no one boys that you like here," Blaise asked as Hermione wistfully watched a couple dancing nearby.  
  
"No, I don't like anyone," Hermione lied and Blaise narrowed her eyes slightly.  
  
"Are you sure," Blaise asked.  
  
"Yes, there is no one for me now," Hermione said.  
  
"Oh, now that Harry is taken," Blaise asked in a soft voice, misreading Hermione a bit.  
  
"Oh no, me and Harry never were like that," Hermione said laughingly. The thought of her and Harry together struck her as funny somehow.  
  
"Oh I am sorry," Blaise said.  
  
Suddenly Blaise looked across the room and spied Draco nonchalantly trying to act like he wasn't waiting for her.  
  
"I am sorry again. I must go," Blaise said quickly and smiling one last time at Hermione making her way through the sweaty bodies to where Draco awaited.  
  
************************************************************  
  
"So what did she say," Draco asked anxiously as soon as him and Blaise were alone. They had locked themselves into the bathroom and were now seated on the ledge of the bathtub.  
  
"She says she doesn't like anyone, but clearly she was lying," Blaise said and patted Draco's arm.  
  
"I know she still loves you Draco," Blaise said meaningfully and she smiled again.  
  
"Part of me was hoping she would get over me, but the other half hopes she never does," Draco said sweetly.  
  
"Draco, you know what I said before, about getting a secret keeper or leaving the country in a disgiuse. You could still do it. There are ways out," Blaise said warily waiting for Draco to shout no in her face.  
  
"I know Blaise, I just am scared. I don't want to leave, but it may be my only hope," Draco said wistfully and he hung his head slightly.  
  
"I don't know, Draco, I just don't know," Blaise said and they sat in silence for what seemed like forever.  
  
**************************************************************  
  
When Draco and Blaise emerged from the bathroom, there was a nice soft song playing and Blaise smiling slightly, watched as Draco stared at Hermione, who was sitting on a couch looking depressed.  
  
"Just go over there. What would one dance together hurt?" Blaise said to Draco and gently put her hand on his back and pushed him in Hermione's direction.  
  
Draco who was a bit in a daze walked slowly over to Hermione. Hermione didn't even look up from the floor as he approached her and he felt a little discouraged.  
  
He turned around to escape back into the bathroom, but Blaise was standing in his way, an encouraging smile on her face, she waved him on.  
  
Draco turned back around and walked straight to Hermione. He picked her up off the couch and before she could even register who it was set her down on the dance floor.  
  
"Will you dance with me," Draco asked softly, fully expecting to be rebuffed.  
  
"Sure," Hermione said hesitantly and she felt the same old heat course through her veins as Draco pulled her close and they moved elegantly across the room.  
  
**************************************************************  
  
Later that night Hermione and Draco were laying on Siruis' porch swing, entangled and both happy for once.  
  
They both didn't want to speak, for fear of ruining this perfect moment. So they lay in silence, both of them listening to other one's breathing. Draco grabbed one of Hermione's hands and traced his own face with it.  
  
Hermione smiled and leaned up to kiss him. They lay there under the stars kissing for an hour at least and thankfully it was Blaise that found them liplocked.  
  
"Hello, love birds," Blaise said sleepily as she leaned on the rail.  
  
"Go away Blaise," Draco said testily, mad at the intrusion.  
  
"Draco don't be rude," Hermione said smiling up at Blaise and for once not feeling the jealous pang she always got when looking at the pretty Slytherin girl.  
  
"Thanks, Hermione," Blaise siad and she sat heavily on the railing balancing neatly and swinging her legs back and forth.  
  
"I'm tired," Blaise said and yawned a low yawn which, Hermione caught and passed onto Draco.  
  
"I hate you all," Draco said putting his had over his mouth as he yawned again.  
  
Blaise laughed shortly and closed her eyes and Hermione giggled and sat up.  
  
"Blaise, what are you doing, now that you've graduated," Hermione asked and Blaises eyes popped open.  
  
She glared at Draco who was snickering behind his hand and turned to face Hermione.  
  
"I am going to be a model," Blaise said simply and threw Draco another glare.  
  
"Third in our year and she is going to be a model," Draco said and laughed out loud, to the annoyance of Blaise.  
  
"Well, it's better than being a servant, right Draco," Blasie snapped and Draco's face went white and he stopped laughing.  
  
"That's what I thought," Blaise said testily and she jumped down from her "seat".  
  
"You really do know how to ruin my fun," Draco said grumpily and Hermione laughed.  
  
"That's because I practice," Blaise said rollingly and she winked at Hermione and went inside.  
  
"You know that after this night, everything will go back to how it was before right," Draco said suddenly and he brought Hermione back to earth with a screaming halt.  
  
"But why, I mean we both like each other," Hermione said and started to feel the old heart-breaking feeling coming back.  
  
"Hermione, this night was a mistake for me, I let myself give into temptation and now I am going to pay for it," Draco said unfeelingly.  
  
"But Draco," Hermione said and her face crumpled.  
  
"I am going to marry Pansy, Hermione. Next year," Draco said and Hermione's eyes widened with shock.  
  
"But you don't love her," she cried and a tear fell down her cheek.  
  
"I am a Malfoy and with that birthright comes specific obligations. You understand don't you," Draco said rather coldly and he ubruptly got up and left Hermione to sob to herself until she lulled herself to sleep.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
"Moine, Moine. Wake up Moine," Harry said softly as he shook Hermione's shoulder.  
  
Hermione rolled over and opened her eyes. She looked a complete mess. Her hair was everywhere and not in an attractive way, her mascara was smudged all over her face and her eyes were puffy.  
  
"I want to die," Hermione said bitterly and Harry was caught off guard by the bitting tone in her voice.  
  
"What happened, Moine," Harry asked quietly and Hermione glared at him.  
  
"I don't want to talk about it," Hermione said coldly and she sat up and crossed her arms over her chest.  
  
"Alright," Harry said understandingly.  
  
"Maybe if I could find a knife, I could slit my wrists," Hermione said in a deadened voice and Harry got a horrified look on his face.  
  
"No, too messy. Maybe I could somehow drown myself," Hermione said thoughtfully her eyes glinting melivelantly.  
  
"Hermione, what is wrong with you," Harry said grabbing her by the shoulders and giving her a good hard shake.  
  
"Nothings the matter with me, Harry. I just have no reason to live. Do you think that is a problem," Hermione asked sinically and Harry winced as she stood up and breezed past him.  
  
Hermione walked into the house and went into the living room. She strode over to the fireplace and grabbing some Floo Powder, threw it in to the fire, stepped in and shouted, "The Granger's".  
  
She walked out of the fireplace and without a word to anyone went up to her room and slammed the door. Inside her room she was rummaging through her things. She threw a black shirt into her trunk and snapped the lid shut.  
  
She was leaving. She didn't know where she was going to go, but she wanted to get away from everything that reminded her of her life before.  
  
Hermione, thinking this time, grabbed ahold of her trunk and with an evil smile on her face apperated to a very dark and sinister place.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
"Miss Granger, so glad that you want to join us," said a voice as cold as the wind, from behind a high backed chair.  
  
"I am glad I could be of service, My Lord," Hermione said in a confident voice.  
  
"You are a powerful witch Hermione Granger and the way you strutted into here, shows me that you know it too," the voice said again, but not before letting out a hacking cough.  
  
"Yes, My Lord," Hermione said smirking.  
  
"You and I shall rule, and we will once and for all purge the world of muggles and muggle-borns," laughed the voice and Hermione glared for a second.  
  
"All except for me, of course," Hermione said snootily and the chair slowly spun around.  
  
Lord Voldemort was different then Hermione had expected, but then again he had gotten his body back. He was tall and had dark hair and dark and cunning eyes to match.  
  
He looked like he could be Harry's father, if it weren't for the fact that he had the evilest look on his face at the moment. He was wearing expensive robes and looked like a wizarding bussiness man.  
  
Hermione smiled at him and held out her hand.  
  
"You my little queen are immune. You will surely make up for what that stupid pureblood Malfoy could not or would not. You my dear are perfect for this and now you will be my right hand woman," Voldemort said and taking Hermione's hand led her to a door that she hadn't seen.  
  
He threw open the door and Hermione was met with the sight of a sea of black masked figures. All taller then her and all menacing. Almost. Hermione looked around and let her superior smirk show through.  
  
"Listen Death Eaters, this young woman is above you in station. You will not look at her, nor speak to her unless she does so first. Understood," Voldemort said coldly and all the figures nodded except one.  
  
He bowed down and getting on his knees, crawled towards Lord Voldemort. He knelt and kissed the masters feet and then leaned back to look into the Dark Lord's face.  
  
"My Lord, she is a muggleborn. We kill muggleborns. My son will attest to that," came the cold deep voice of Lucius Malfoy.  
  
"Your bastard son couldn't even deliver me Hermione when she was right there," Voldemort yelled and Lucuis fell silent.  
  
Hermione looked straight at Voldemort when he said that.  
  
"He what," she asked in a high pitched voice.  
  
"I am so sorry my dear." Voldemort said using a soft and caring tone with her,"We need you, so I asssigned young Mister Malfoy to befriend you, make you think he cared and then throw you out on the curb."  
  
Hermione's eyes reflected the light from the millions of candles floating above his head.  
  
"It's alright My Lord, he shall pay in the end," Hermione said bittingly and Voldemort laughed nodded.  
  
"That's the spirit young one. Now we have many plans to put in motion," Voldemort said and the group pressed in closely.  
  
"Hermione dear, you shall have the honors to pick a family to eliminate," Voldemort said.  
  
"I choose the Malfoys." Hermione said and everyone gasped," But I want to do it alone."  
  
"But they are not muggle-born or even muggles," someone said in great suprise.  
  
"But they are worthless, we could kill them take their mansion use it as our Head Quarters and we could take all their wealth too," Hermione said.  
  
"Very good young one," Voldemort said and he turned to Lucuis who was cowering on the floor and pulled out his wand.  
  
"Bye, Lucius," Voldemort said and with that he yelled, "Avada Kedavra ".  
  
Lucuis crumpled at Hermione's feet and Hermione looked up at Voldemort with a strange glee in her eyes. This was going to be fun!  
  
A/N: Muahaha that was my favoritest chapter. Hermione going evil, I just love it. Anyways, next chapter will be up soon. REVIEW! 


	17. Falling Apart

Disclaimer: I don't own anything at all. Not even my soul.  
  
A/N: Hey! I am back to give you more. I really hope that everyone liked the last chapter. I loved the end when Hermione goes to Voldemort. Talk about a shocker. Anyways, Hermione is mad, so anything could happen. Another crazy twist is instore for you in this chapter. I am not exactly sure whats gonna happen in this chapter. So I couldn't tell you even if I wanted too. Well I'll stop talking. READ!  
  
Chapter 17  
  
Falling Apart  
  
"I Am, A Little Bit Of Loneliness, A Little Bit Of Disregard, A Hand Full Of Complaints, But I Can't Help The Fact, That Everyone Can See, These Scars, I Am, What I Want You To Want, What I Want You To Feel, It's Like No Matter What I Do, I Can't Convince You, To Just Believe This Is Real, So I Let Go, Watching You, Turn Your Back, Like You Always Do, Face Away And Pretend That I'm Not, But I'll Be Here, 'Cause Your All That I Got, I Can't Feel, The Way I Could Before, Don't Turn Your Back On Me, I Won't Be Ignored, Time Won't Heal, This Damage Anymore, Don't Turn Your Back On Me, I Won't Be Ignored, I Am, A Little Bit Insecure, A Little Unconfident, 'Cause I You Don't Understand, I Do What I Can, Sometimes I Don't Make Sense, I Am, What You Never Want To Say, But I've Never Had A Doubt, It's Like No Matter What I Do, I Can't Convince You, For Once, Just To Hear Me Out, So I Let Go, Watching You, Turn Your Back, Like You Always Do, Face Away And Pretend That I'm Not, But I'll Be Here, 'Cause Your All That I Got, I Can't Feel, The Way I Did Before, Don't Turn Your Back On Me, I Won't Be Ignored, Time Won't Heal, This Damage Anymore, Don't Turn Your Back On Me, I Won't Be Ignored, No, Hear Me Out Now, Your Gonna Listen To Me, Like It Or Not, Right Now, No, Hear Me Out Now, Your Gonna Listen To Me, Like It Or Not, Right Now, I Can't Feel, The Way I Could Before, Don't Turn Your Back On Me, I Won't Be Ignored, I Can't Feel, The Way I Could Before, Don't Turn Your Back On Me, I Won't Be Ignored, Time Can't Heal, This Damage Anymore, Don't Turn Your Back On Me, I Won't Be Ignored."  
  
~ Linkin Park - "Faint"  
  
Hermione and a few Death Eaters hid behind trees on the large estate of the Beckers. They where a muggle family that happened to be millionaires in the muggle world.  
  
Hermione had suggested them. They where a snotty family and she had went to school with both Emilia and Richard Becker Jr. when she was a very young child. Emilia would put dirt in her hair and shove her out of the way. Richard sexually harrased her everyday until she transfered schools. She would get them back for being such horrible people.  
  
Hermione pulled out her wand and smirked as the others slightly cowarded away from her.  
  
"Follow me. We can kill this family and then take their money and convert it to wizarding money," Hermione said and everyone around her nodded.  
  
Hermione strode out from the bushes and walked confidently to the Beckers' door. She rang the door bell and the butler answered. Having not held a grudge against him and remembering him to be quite kind, Hermione let him go.  
  
She marched past him and threw open a door. It was empty and she kept going. Everyone that was behind her, kept quiet, afraid of her wrath. Hermione walked confidently down the hallway, throwing doors open as she went.  
  
Finally she came to last door; a large oak one with dragons carved into the wood. She threw it open just like the others, but this time she was met with success. The Beckers had started to dine and they all looked up when someone came barging through their door.  
  
"What are you doing in my house," siad Mr. Becker Sr. He tried to stand up but Hermione avadaed him before he could so much as move muscle.  
  
"Richard," Mrs. Becker screamed and she gave Hermione a ugly look.  
  
"What do you evil murderers want," she yelled and with a wave of a Death Eaters wand she fell silent, crumpling onto the floor in a heap.  
  
Hermione turned to Emilia Becker, she wouldn't have recognized her if it weren't for the ugly glare she wore on her face at the moment. Richard Jr. stood up and walked towards Hermione.  
  
"Can I help you miss," He said extremely calm like. Even though a bunch of strangers had just broken into his house and killed his mother and father.  
  
"Get away from me," Hermione said viciously and Richard backed away a shocked look on his face.  
  
"Hermione," he squeaked and Emilia's face lit with comprehension.  
  
"You nasty little bitch," Emilia cried throwing her napkin on the table and shoving herself off her chair.  
  
"Avada Kadvra," called a Death Eater on Hermione's right and Emilia fell hitting her head on the table with a loud bang.  
  
"Now Richard, how does it feel to be the victom," Hermione said in a low deadly voice as she paced back and forth before him like a predator.  
  
Richard tried to get something out, but Hermione waved her hand and he began to shake with pain.  
  
"One of my teachers once said you don't need cork-screws and knifes to inflict pain, I believe he was right," Hermione said and the Death Eaters behind her laughed.  
  
"Bye, bye Richard," Hermione said and she whispered the words of the killing curse.  
  
As he fell slowly to the ground, Hermione turned and looked around the room that she was in and spotted a strange portrait in which there was a little leprechaun that seemed to have a pot of gold beside it.  
  
She walked up the to the picture and said, "Alohamora", and she heard a slow click and she pulled the portait away from the wall. There inside the wall was a ton of muggle cash and a few jewels.  
  
Emilia had always been a fool, bragging about her "little pot of gold". Hermione took out a black back from her robe and cleaned out the contents of the safe.  
  
She turned to her group and waved them out the door. Already thinking about what she could spend this loot on.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Hermione opened the sack for Voldemort to see inside of. He smirked as the glittering rubies and sparkling emaralds caught his eyes. Hermione smiled at him and bowed slightly.  
  
"Good work, Hermione," Voldemort said proudly.  
  
Hermione glowed at the praise. Though no one would dare to say it out loud, Voldemort had a real soft spot for the young muggle-born witch.  
  
"You are my best right hand yet, my dear. No one has ever thought to actaully kill people for their money and revenge," Voldemort said kindly and he handed Hermione the bag back.  
  
"You may keep half of all of this," he said waving his hand over the sack that was bulging with treasures.  
  
"Thank you, My Lord," Hermione said. She knew it was a great honor to recieve so much from him.  
  
She turned to leave the cold and dark anti-chamber, but something stopped her.  
  
"My Lord, may I ask a simple question," Hermione asked bowing her head like a punished child.  
  
"Go ahead, child. Ask away," Voldemort said and Hermione looked up into his face.  
  
"Have you ever loved anyone," Hermione asked her eyes innocently blank of all emotion.  
  
Voldemort looked startled for a second, but he recovered and smiled kindly at Hermione.  
  
"Come child sit by me, and I shall tell you a story," Voldemort said magiking a chair from thin air and setting beside his own.  
  
Hermione nodded and tucking the bag into her belt, walked over to the chair and meekly sat down.  
  
"Hermione, this world is cold and full of awful things. I don't think I have to tell you. You have experienced it yourself. Men are cold heartless and vicious when things don't meet their needs. I have loved two people in my lifetime. They where my mother and my school sweeheart." Voldemort paused and sighing went on with his story.  
  
"My father, after having me, abondoned my mother. She was very sick and I tried to take care of her, but she passed away after only two years. Then I was sent to an orphanage for the rest of my childhood. I stayed there when I was not at Hogwarts.  
  
At Hogwarts I finally felt happiness. I met this girl named Natalie Pivic and we became unseprable. We did everything together and slowly I fell in love with her. But on the day of our one year anniversary, she told me that she was in love with someone esle and that besides, her father would never approve of me.  
  
It broke my heart, I felt like she was stabbing me with knifes all over. That's when I learned that I was the Heir Of Slytherin. I had tried to drown out the pain by being totally engrossed in my studies. But I got so ahead that soon I didn't have any school work and nothing to do.  
  
So I read books on all types of things, Dragons, Quidditch and even muggle books. Finally I came to a book all about Slytherin. I learned about the Chamber Of Secrets and I learned that I was the Heir.  
  
I decided to open the Chamber. My life was basically over anyways. But I guess it really wasn't at all. As soon as I opened it, I could feel the need for power that's when I made up the name Lord Voldmort. I was always facinated by anigrams and it just sounded so powerful to me.  
  
In the end the Basilisk killed a muggle-born girl. For some reason that made me feel happy, one less of that lot, where my thoughts at the time. I saw Natalie for the last time when I graduated. She was stunningly beatiful in her school robes and as she posed for the many camera's she held up her ring finger.  
  
Sparkling on it was a huge diamond, beatifuly crafted and almost blinding. She had gotten ingaged to Thomas Potter. He was a prefect from Gryffindore, that had always rubbed me the wrong way. Later on I saw their wedding anouncement in the Daily Prophet.  
  
They had a baby soon after. I am sure you know who it was too. It was James Potter, Harry's father. That is probably why I killed both James and Lily on that fateful night so long ago. Seeking revenge for love lost so long ago." Voldemort finished and Hermione looked up at him tears in her eyes.  
  
"I understand," Hermione said and without thinking she threw her arms around Voldemorts neck and hugged him tightly.  
  
When she had realized what she had done she let go and back away with her head down from Voldemort. Her hair was damp and it's wasn't from her tears. What she saw when she looked up made her latch onto him again.  
  
Lord Voldemort the most feared wizard of all time was weeping like a child and even though he looked very undignified doing it, it just made Hermione pity him more.  
  
**************************************************************** ¤A Few Weeks Before¤  
  
Harry had been invited to a Weasley family dinner and only the love he had for Mrs. Weasley made it possible for him to go. Ron was such a jerk these days and Ginny was off in her own world.  
  
Harry sat down at the table and noticed that neither Ginny nor Ron was at the table. Mrs. Weasley was bustling around fixing dinner and Mr. Weasley was engrossed in the Dialy Prophet.  
  
Suddenly the sound of feet running on wood could be heard and Ron came flying down the stairs, his eyes where wide and he was gasping as if he had run a marathon.  
  
He spotted Harry and lunged at him latching on to his shirt and pulling his face close to his own. Harry tried to pull away, but Ron, who was mouthing something frantically, wouldn't let go.  
  
"Harry, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to. I was under his control. Please you have to believe me," Ron said spit out his running a mile a minute.  
  
Before Harry could take even one word in, Ron went on.  
  
"Hermione, I love her. I never would hurt her. It's all his fault. I swear it," Ron said desprately.  
  
"What's the matter Ron, who had control over you," Harry asked as soon as Ron had fallen silent.  
  
"Lucuis Malfoy, I was alone in Daigon Alley two years ago and he put the Imperuis curse on me. He forced me to do horrible things. Because he was school governer he had access to find me. He wanted to help Draco to bring Hermione over to their side," Ron said his eyes thouroughly bluging out out of his head now.  
  
Mrs. Weasley had dropped a pan full of water all over the floor and Mr. Weasley had fallen off his chair. Mrs. Weasley began to clean the water up and Mr. Weasley came to stand behind Harry.  
  
"Something happend to Lucuis, that's why the spell was broken," Ron said suddenly and everyone else stood in a bewildered silence.  
  
No one knew what exactly to say to this.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Draco was having a rather shitty time of it in the hell hole that he called sanctuary. He was in hiding as Blaise had suggested and even though he was out of danger, he certainly wasn't enjoying himself.  
  
Draco pulled the rough wool blanket tighter around himself. It was raining outside and he was freezing. He had thought this would be a good idea. Maybe he would have to think of something else.  
  
He could hear the rats racketing around in the dark and he shivered slightly. Even his dungoens at home hadn't been this creepy and chilly. There had been a light for one and no rats or bugs, he thought, as he picked a beetle out of his hair.  
  
Finally having enough of listening to the scratchings of rodents, he fell into an uneasy sleep fraught with nightmares.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
"Hermione," Draco called into the darkness. It was snowing all around him and he couldn't see a thing.  
  
"I am sorry Draco," Hermione shouted and Draco saw her for one second before she vanished in a whirl of snow flurries.  
  
"Hermione, please where are you," Draco called again, reaching out his hands in front of him and walking slowly forward.  
  
"Goodbye," Hermione called and Draco saw her beautiful face iluminated by the flash of lightening, right before she walked off the edge of a cliff.  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOO," Draco screamed and he ran towards the the edge of the cliff.  
  
He could see Hermione's broken body laying fifty feet below where he stood and he began to sob uncontrolabley.  
  
Suddenly the snow was gone and it wasn't pitch black anymore. He was standing before a small cottage and it was bright and sunny here. The world a vibrant blend of beautiful pastel colors.  
  
Draco saw Hermione, she was sitting in a the middle of a large patch of wild flowers. She was humming to herself and braiding the flowers into wreaths for her hair.  
  
She looked heavenly in a flowing white dress and her hair all braided with flowers. But as soon as Draco took one step towards her she sprouted large white wings and hovered just out of reach.  
  
"Hermione, I love you," Draco called and Hermione turned to look at him.  
  
Her eyes held an eternal sadness and she just shrugged and everything around them disapeared. Suddenly everything was dark again, but this time it wasn't snowing. There was fire everywhere and it looked as if a valcano had just errupted in this spot.  
  
Hermione was still here, but instead of the shimmery white dress and flowers, she now wore a light yellow shirt and red pants and beside her stood the last person on earth Draco would ever thought to have seen, Lord Voldemort.  
  
"You don't understand, Draco," Hermione said. She looked at Voldemort and he nodded solemnly and Hermione raised her hand steadily and killed Draco.  
  
When Draco woke up he was howling with anguish. That was beyond a nightmare, that was hell itself.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
"That's the plan," Hermione said to Voldemort as she and he stood looking at the collage of many half-made conspiracys and hair-brain scams to attack Hogwarts and kill Narcissa Malfoy in the process. (A/N: Haha I told you that I had hinted at something.)  
  
"But how do you plan to get Narcissa there," Voldemort asked.  
  
"I will apparate to the Malfoy Mansion, alone, and kidnap her," Hermione said simply raising her hands.  
  
"Alright, it may be risky, but I like it. Then it's set. All we need to is to get all of our Death Eaters in line and the rest should almost do itself," Voldemort said.  
  
"Okay, I have a question, My Lord," Hermione said and Voldemort nodded for her to continue.  
  
"When this all is over, what are we going to do," Hermione asked her eyes wide and questioning.  
  
"That is a question of the future, my dear, and I will cross that bridge when I have come to it," Voldemort said wisely and Hermione nodded and looked down at the bracelette her mother and father had given her.  
  
It had seemed so long ago, but really it may only have been about a year now. Hermione felt the tears well up.  
  
Voldemort tried to pretend she wasn't crying when huge tear drops began to rain down on their map. Voldemort didn't want to embarass the poor child, but he didn't want her to be upset.  
  
"My dear, if you miss you parents, you can visit them whenever you want," Voldemort said kindly.  
  
"They wouldn't understand. They probably hate me for running away," Hermione said sadly wiping her tears on the sleeve of her black dress.  
  
"If they love you, they will try to understand and they will love you no matter what, My dear, a parent is never severed from their child, only seperated from time to time," Voldmort said quielty and he began to roll up the various rolls of parchment.  
  
"Do you think they will," Hermione asked her eyes shinning with hope.  
  
"If they are as wonderful as you have said they are. I believe that they would love you even if you changed your name, and married a woman, don't worry so much," Voldemort said and Hermione chuckled.  
  
"I would never marry a woman," Hermione protested and she stood up straight and prepared to leave the meeting room.  
  
"I know," Voldemort simply said and he blew out the candles and Hermione and him exited the room talking animatedly about the properties of dungbat blatter.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Blaise was sprawled out on a lawn chair by the pool. She was at her mother and father's estate and she was trying to relax. She was now Draco's secret keeper, a secret she hadn't shared with anyone.  
  
She had convinced him it was the best plan after she had informed him of the death of his father. Draco hadn't been pleased with his father's death, but he wasn't a sobbing mess either.  
  
Blaise pulled her cd player to her and put on her head-phones. She wanted to learn Italian. She already knew Latin, French, German and Spanish, but Italian was something she had always wanted to know.  
  
"Quello bello," she said to the air. It had been the only thing in Italian she knew.  
  
"What are you doing Blaise," came a voice above her and Blaise paused her cd.  
  
She looked up over her sunglasses and saw, Hermione Granger. Hermione was looking rather strange in her red and black robes, it was so hot outside, did she not notice?  
  
"Hi, Hermione," Blaise said slowly somehow she had a gut instinct that something was terribley wrong with this situation.  
  
"How are you," Hermione asked and she sat down heavily on a chair across from Blaise.  
  
Blaise laughed.  
  
"I am fine, but I know you didn't come all this way just to ask that."  
  
"Your right," Hermione said and she straighten her shoulders a bit and looked squarely at Blaise.  
  
"Blaise, have you seen or talked to Draco in the last month or so," Hermione aske heavily watching Blaise closely.  
  
"Nope, I am sorry Hermione. I can't say I have. He said he was going on vacation the last time I talked to him, which was like two months ago," Blaise said flawlessly, even believing herself for a moment.  
  
"Okay,"Hermione said simply and she stood up and began to pace infront of Blaises chair.  
  
"Did he say where he was going," Hermione asked urgently and Blaise shook her head no.  
  
"I really miss him," Hermione lied, as she wrung the bottom of her robes in her hand.  
  
"I know," Blaise said quietly afraid of Hermione for some reason.  
  
"Well I must be going. Loads to do," Hermione said suddenly and she apparated with a faint 'pop'.  
  
Blaise shook her head and turned her cd player back on. All she kept thinking as she tried to concentrate on the words being said in her ears, was that something was off and Hermione was sending off really weird signals.  
  
Blaise was afraid for Draco. She had never thought Hermione was the vengful type, but after what she had just seen, she was reconsidering.  
  
Nothing on the surface looked wrong with Hermione, but whenever she had talk about Draco there was this weird twinge that would go through her and for a split second there would glint something in her eyes, that was quite sinister.  
  
Blaise flipped over onto her belly and closed her eyes. Whatever Hermione had planned, as long as Blaise wanted Draco hidden he would remain hidden. Unless Draco decided he didn't want to be hidden anymore, then all hell would break loose.  
  
A/N: I really hope you all liked that. It was a pretty tough chapter to write for me. I am going to start work on chapter 18, which is titled; Now You Will Pay. Please Review! 


	18. Now You Will Pay

Disclaimer: I swear to Bob, Harry. I don't own officer!  
  
A/N: Hello my wonderful readers. *Looks around at empty room* Hedo? Lol. Anyways I really hope you all like my story so far, because Hermione is on the prowl and things are going to get very interesting. This authors note will be short I really want to write this chapter quickly. READ!  
  
Chapter 18  
  
Now You Will Pay  
  
"How Can You See, Into My Eyes, Like Open Doors,  
  
Leading You Down, Into My Core,  
  
Where I've Become So Numb, Without A Soul, My Spirit Sleeping Somewhere Cold,  
  
Until You Find It, There And Lead It Back Home, Wake Me Up, Wake Me Up Inside,  
  
I Can't Wake Up, Wake Me Up Inside,  
  
Call My Name, And Save Me From The Dark,  
  
Bid My Blood To Run,  
  
Before I Come Undone,  
  
Save Me From The Nothing I've Become,  
  
Now That I Know, What I'm Without,  
  
You Can't Just Leave Me,  
  
Breathe, Into Me And Make Me Real,  
  
Bring Me To Life,  
  
Wake Me Up, Wake Me Up Inside,  
  
I Can't Wake Up,  
  
Wake Me Up Inside,  
  
Call My Name, And Save Me From The Dark,  
  
Bid My Blood To Run,  
  
Before I Come Undone,  
  
Save Me From The Nothing I've Become,  
  
Bring Me To Life,  
  
Frozen Inside Without Your Touch, Without Your Love, Darling, Only You Are The Life, Among The Dead,  
  
All This Time I Can't Believe, I Couldn't See,  
  
Kept In The Dark, But You Were There In Front Of Me,  
  
I've Been Sleeping, A Thousand Years It Seems,  
  
Got To Open My Eyes, To Everything,  
  
Without A Thought, Without A Voice, Without A Soul,  
  
Don't Let Me Die Here,  
  
There Must Be Something More,  
  
Bring Me To Life, Bring Me To Life,"  
  
Evanescence ~ "Bring Me To Life"  
  
Hermione sat alone in one of the many rooms at Voldemort's current headquarters. She was deep in thought. She really wanted to go and see her parents, but she was afraid of their rejection.  
  
She looked around her. She was sitting on top of a very nice four poster that had been left in the room. The sheets where of black and red silk and as Hermione ran her fingers along the fabric, she sighed with momentary contentment.  
  
She looked down at her lap and then a thought came to her. She could levitate herself. Draco had taught her his little trick when they where together and even though Hermione didn't want to think about him right now, she snapped her fingers and rose a foot of the bed.  
  
Draco had been right, there was no feeling compared with floating. Hermione slowly relaxed a bit and closed her eyes. She decided right there and then that she would visit her parents.  
  
She was going to have to come face to face with them sometime. Hermione rolled over onto her stomach and looked down. She was still puzzled as to where Draco could have gone.  
  
She didn't think he would have perform the Secret Keeper ritual with anyone and the only person that even cared for him was his mother and she wasn't smart enought to help with a spell like that.  
  
Blaise had seemed to be telling the truth, but then again she was a Slytherin. She would know how to lie convincingly and get away with cunning plots. It was in her blood.  
  
Hermione flipped back up into a sitting position and snapping her fingers, fell back onto the bed with a soft, 'plumf'.  
  
Just then a Death Eater walked in and she got off the bed hurriedly. Another meeting to attend, she thought to herself as the tall man in black robes led her down a hallway.  
  
They came to Voldemorts quarters and the Death Eater knocked at the door. Hermione heard a faint, "Come in," before the door opened and revealed Voldemort sitting in a large arm chair by the fire.  
  
"My Lord," Hermione said and she bowed her head as she walked into the warm room. The Death Eater closed the door behind her and Hermione jumped slighty at the noise.  
  
Voldemort looked up and smiled. He pointed to the red velvet couch beside his own chair and Hermione walked slowly over and sat down. Voldemort had the Daily Prophet lying in his lap and after Hermione settled down, he handed it to her.  
  
"Alittle news about us," Voldemort said as Hermione scanned the paper.  
  
Herrmione didn't say anything as she read the article quietly. It said;  
  
Voldemort On the Rise?  
  
Although no one, that will talk, knows the answer to this question, many people are asking, "What if?" This reporter hopes to get to the bottom of this story and find out once and for all if the Death Eaters and their leader are on the prowl once more. There has been a reported sighting of a bunch of people in cloaks, being led by a lone female with short brown hair and a pretty face. A muggle family were all reported dead just twenty minutes after the person that we questioned saw the strange band of people. A well known wizard and a man that once was accused of being a Death Eater, although he was cleared later on, Lucuis Malfoy was found dead a week ago. He was very prominent in the wizarding world, donating generous amounts of money to good causes. He will certainly be missed. I will keep you informed on any information on this disturbing crisis.  
  
Hermione looked up and laughed. She couldn't believe all that had been said about Lucuis. It was ridiculous. She handed the paper back to Voldemort as she shook her head - still laughing of course.  
  
"I have a pretty face," Hermione asked of no one in partuicular.  
  
Voldemort said nothing and just looked at her with a bemused look on his face. She was a strange creature indeed. She looked at him and suddenly her laughter died down and her face straightened to it's usual determined look.  
  
"I have made up my mind. I am going to visit my parents tomorrow," Hermione said leaning back in her chair.  
  
"Alright," Voldemort said nodding his head.  
  
"I talked to Blaise Zambini earlier today," Hermione stated rolling her eys slightly.  
  
"Ah, Miss Zambini. I know her parents," Voldemort said.  
  
"Yes, I tried to find out from her where Draco is, but either she actaully didn't know, or she was lying to me," Hermione said and she got the determined look back into her eyes.  
  
"I will find him, and when I do there will be hell to pay," Hermione said viciously and Voldemort raised one eyebrow.  
  
"I think I need to go rest," Hermione said putting a hand to her forehead and looking as tired as she felt.  
  
"Take the upstairs grand bedroom. It's very private and you can get a nice sleep there," Voldemort said and Hermione nodded, got up from her chair and bowing one last time left the room.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Draco opened the big white door to his fridge. He was hiding out in a muggle house far far away from England. He was actaully in America in a secluded mountain range.  
  
He really should have told Blaise that he didn't know how to cook, anything at all, because he was having the worst time trying to figure out what to eat. Draco closed the fridge and looked in the cupboard next to the fridge. He picked up a box of cereal.  
  
The picture on the front of the box showed a strange bird with a colorful beak. Draco put the box to his nose and sniffed. It didn't smell wonderful like Treacle Tart did, or any wizard meal for that matter, but it didn't smell bad either.  
  
Draco opened the fridge once more and pulled out a carton of milk. He did know that any cereal required milk, he had, had some at Hermione's house. Draco tried to pour the milk into the bowl, but somehow it ended up all over the counter instead.  
  
Draco cursed as he mopped up the mess with a dish rag. Living on his own was quite rough, but it was living. Draco sat down at the table and picked at his cereal. After all the trouble he had gone through to try and find something to eat, he wasn't hungry anymore.  
  
Instead Draco headed into the small living room and turned on the T.V. This was his favorite of all Muggle inventions. Although he hadn't experienced many Muggle things.  
  
Draco flipped through the channels and finally found a decent show to watch. It was a cartoon of a strange yellow square sponge and his starfish friend. Draco was hooked.  
  
When the show ended Draco got up and went upstairs. Blaise had told him that she would come and visit him in a week and bring him more food and some enertainment. This was good, because Draco was about to die of boredom.  
  
Draco got into bed and turned out the light. He pulled the covers to his chin and lay there for a good twenty minutes. All the while he was wondering how he let Blaise talk him into this and how he had let his life get this out of control.  
  
**************************************************************  
  
Hermione woke up the next day, refreshed and feeling good. She took care while she dressed and did her hair. She wanted to look extra nice for her parents.  
  
She ended up wearing the only muggle outfit that she had with her, a black mini skirt and a nice white shirt. Hermione apparated to her house and rang the doorbell, as she waited for someone to answer she smoothed her skirt over and over again nervously.  
  
Suddenly the door opened and Hermione could see her mother standing in the door way for a split second before her mother jumped on her and hugged her tightly.  
  
Hermione hugged her mother back. Tears that she could understand or want came pouring out of her eyes and onto her mother's shoulder. From what Hermione could hear her mum was crying too.  
  
Hermione pulled away from her mother and her mom looked Hermione up and down. She noticed there was something different with her daughter. Not only in the way she looked, but in the way she was standing. She was acting weird too, there was a quiet anger in her eyes as she brushed the tears away.  
  
"Hermione, where have you been. I have been so worried," Bridget said not bothering to wipe away the tears that still trailed down her face.  
  
"I am sorry, mum," Hermione said hanging her head and then looking up at her mum sadly.  
  
"Please honey, say you'll never do that again. At least call next time and say I am moving out anything," Bridget said hoarsley and she pulled Hermione inside the house.  
  
"You father is at work. I will have to call him to tell him your all right," Bridget said and she picked up the phone and dialed the number of Hermione's father's office.  
  
"Hello, she's back hun. Our baby is back. No, yeah she's here with me now. Do you want to talk to her? Alright here she is," Bridget said and she handed the phone to Hermione.  
  
"Hello," Hermione said catiously expecting a tidal wave of reprimands to come her way.  
  
"Hi, Hermione. How are you? I hope your all right. You mother and I have been so worried. Do you have a place of your own? Do you have a job? I honey I've really missed you," Hermione's father said in a rush not even letting Hermione answer any of his questions.  
  
Hermione took a deep breathe and started to fill her father in.  
  
"I am good. I have a place. I don't exactly have a job yet, but I am living with a person that is helping me out. I know, I've missed you too," Hermione siad slowly.  
  
"Honey I really want to talk to you, but I have a patient to look at. I'll talk to you later, Bye", Alfred said and he hung up the phone.  
  
Hermione handed the phone back to her mother and her mother put it back in it's cradle.  
  
"So where is your place?" Bridget asked and Hermione took a slow rattling breath before answering her.  
  
"It's in London," Hermione said not being specific at all.  
  
"Really, that must be nice," Bridget said and she she suddenly stood up.  
  
"I have to go and check on Keyelle. She has gotten so big, but she still needed extra care," Bridget said and she eyed Hermione slightly.  
  
"I am sorry mum, but I can't stay long. I really have to go," Hermione said, feeling like an intruder in her own home.  
  
"Okay, honey. Don't be a stranger, call us once in a while," Bridget said and Hermione nodded, feeling a strange jealousy and hatred come over her as Bridget become oblivious to Hermione and walked over to Keyelle's play pin where she was happily palying with some blocks.  
  
Hermione turned on her heel and left her house. Once she walked out the door she apparated back to Voldemort. Somehow, even if her mother hadn't meant to, she had hurt Hermione deeply.  
  
Bridget hadn't seen or heard from Hermione in a month and yet by just the thought of Keyelle she was willing to leave Hermione and pretend that she wasn't there.  
  
Hermione went into the room that Voldemort had given her and lay on her bed. Hatred was coursing through her veins and even though it wasn't his fault at all, she felt that it was directed at Draco.  
  
Hermione got up and walked downstairs and into the small study that held the table where they would go over their plans. Hermione looked around and grabbed a chair from againts the wall.  
  
She sat down and took out a blank peice of parchment. She just had a gutt feeling that she could find Draco. She thought about it for a second. She determined that Blaise was lying to her and that she had performed the Secret Keeper Ritual with him.  
  
Next she thought of where he could be hiding. Obviously he would be in a muggle house, because it would be a place that no one would expect a Malfoy to inhabit. So he was in some muggle house somewhere. Another obvious fact was that it wouldn't be in England.  
  
So she thought of places Draco could go. Japan and China where out. Pretty much anywhere, where no one spoke English, that would not be a place Draco would go. He could either be in Cananda, or America.  
  
Cananda didn't strike Hermione as a place that Draco would go. So she crossed it off her little list. Tha left only one place. America. Hermione ran a hadd through her hair. This was going to be tough figuring out where exactly Draco was.  
  
Then an evil and sinister thought popped into her head. She could owl Blaise and tell her that she had found out that the Death Eaters where going to attack Hogwarts and kidnap Narcissa Malfoy, bring her to Hogwarts and kill her.  
  
Draco would come out of hiding in a second. All Hermione hoped was that Blaise would tell him. Blaise might not say anything, because she also knew how protective Draco was of his mum.  
  
Hermione grabbed apeice of parchment and wrote her message out to Blaise, she wistled a short note and a jet black owl flew in and she tied it to his leg.  
  
"This is to Blaise Zambini, alright Gaep?" Hermione said to the owl and it nodded it's head.  
  
The large owl spread it's wings and flew out the open window. Hermione sat back down in her chair, for some reason she had been feeling really sick lately.  
  
A couple months ago she had kept throwing up, but now that was over and she was jut getting some really weird cravings for som pretty strange foods. I mean really, how appetizing does cottage cheese and ice cream sound?  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Hermione tried to smile at the man in front of her, although his greedy eyes and manner were making her sick. She took a sip of the glass of wine in her hand and excused herself from the conversation.  
  
She was at a Death Eater celebration of sorts. It was atroucious beyond anything she had ever been to. All these coniving old men were trying to flirt with her. She was Lord Voldemort's right hand person afterall.  
  
All she wanted to do was lie down and try and soothe the head ache that magic just couldn't take away.  
  
She sighed as she walked around the room, holding the stem of her wine glass with a shaking hand. She glimpsed Voldemort talking to a couple who where, rather scary looking.  
  
The woman was tall with dark hair and bright glittering eyes, that were almost black. The man beside her also had dark hair, but his eyes where a light twinkling blue. Although Hermione knew she had never met these two people before, she swore she recognized their features from somewhere.  
  
Hermione warily walked closer. She was intrigued by the woman, who kept flitting her hands around as she talked animatedly with Voldemort. The man beside her was boredly watching the people dancing elegantly across the middle of the room.  
  
Hermione who was watching the woman closely, was snapped back to reality by the sound of Voldemort calling her name. The three people in front of her's attention was all on her as she walked slowly closer.  
  
"Aww, Hermione, my dear at last I find you in this crowd," Voldemort said in a dignafied voice.  
  
"Mrs. and Mr. Zambini, this is Hermione Granger," Voldemort said gesturing towards Hermione and back towards the Zambinis.  
  
"I knew that I recognized you from somwhere, dear. You attended Hogwarts, if I am not mistaken. Graduated top of your class too," Mrs. Zambini said turning to Hermione.  
  
As Hermione stared into Mrs. Zambini's eyes, she saw a cold spark in the pretty dark coloring. Hermione shook Mr. and Mrs. Zambini's hand and noticed right away that Mrs. Zambini's hand was icy cold.  
  
"Are you cold, Mrs' Zambini?" Hermione asked in her usual confident tone, even though she was taken aback by the cold danger behind the beauty of the woman's face.  
  
"A bit, it is slightly cold in here," Mrs. Zambini remarked and she breathed into her hands.  
  
"Cintha, you should go by the fire and warm up," Voldemort said and the woman nodded her head.  
  
"I think I will Tom," Cintha said and she walked away dragging her husband by the arm.  
  
Hermione gave Voldemort a glance and then headed to the farside of the room. There was a balcony here, a rather beautiful one at that. Hermione opened the stained glass door and walked out into the cool night air.  
  
She was tired. She loved her newfound power and sense of self, but on the whole, this whole affair was taking it's tole on her. In the last two day she had gained at least five pounds or more.  
  
Hermione had never cared about her looks, but like most people she didn't like the feeling of not being able to fit into a pair of pants or finding a shirt or skirt to snug.  
  
Hermione sat on a decrative garden chair and look up into the sky, searching the blinking stars for some answers. She had always prided herself on knowing what she wanted and getting it, but at this moment she was feeling that she would never get what she wanted and she would be stuck with these horrible people forever.  
  
*************************************************************** "Hello, Draco," Blaise said in a cool tone, that Draco immedaitly picked up on.  
  
"Blaise, what's going on," Draco asked and Blaise flinched slightly.  
  
"Nothing, why do you ask," Blaise said trying to keep her voice steady.  
  
"Is it my mother? Tell me she is alright," Draco said guessing.  
  
"Yes, for the moment," Blaise said giving in at the tone in Draco's voice.  
  
"What do you mean," For the moment," Draco demanded.  
  
"I recieved a letter from Hermione today," Blaise said slowly, trying to decide how much information she was going to reveal.  
  
"And," Draco said anxiously leaning on the edge of his seat.  
  
"She said that the Death Eaters are going to kidnap your mother," Blaise said misrabley and Draco jumped to his feet his face chalk white.  
  
"How? When? What did she tell you Blaise," Draco shouted and Blaise closed her eyes and then taking a deep breathe opened them again.  
  
"Here I brought the letter, you can read for yourself," Blaise said and she handed Draco a piece of parchment that had recently been folded and unfolded.  
  
Draco read through the letter quickly. His eyes were wide and fearful as he took in every word written on the parchment.  
  
"I want out, I need to get my mother," Draco said and Blaise looked at him sadly.  
  
"Draco, what if this is a trick, to lure you out of hiding," Blaise asked quietly and Draco turned to glare at her.  
  
"It's not Blaise. They are going to kill my mum," Draco said coldly.  
  
Blaise nodded her head mutely. There wasn't much she could do if Draco didn't want to be hidden anymore, she could not force him. She just really hoped that this all would work out.  
  
But as she wasn't stupid, she knew that nothing good was going to happen until everything had gotten horribley worse.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Hermione smirked coldly down on the new arrival. It was actaully Blaise Zambini that was bent on the floor, crying and carrying on.  
  
She wasn't being tortured and no one in her family had been killed. She sobbing madly because she was to become a Death Eater. Her parents had decided she should serve Lord Voldemort as they had, for so many years.  
  
"Quit your squawking, Blaise," Mrs. Zambini said nastily from a where she stood in the line-up of Death Eaters.  
  
"You Blaise Charlotte Zambini are hear-by admitted to join the Death Eaters, your rank will be determined after a week long test. You will do everything I order you to do, and if you do not do so, I will have your executed." Voldemort said quickly in aloud ringing voice.  
  
Blaise, who had quit crying and was now glaring at the surrounding people, nodded her head. She raised her head up and folding her legs underneath herself, she went back to glaring at everyone in turn.  
  
"Silicio Tatoin Deach," Voldemort cried and Blaise gave howl like a wounded animal and clutched her arm.  
  
When she finally lifted her fingers, Hermione could see the Death Mark shining brightly at her. But something was wrong with it, it seemed to be fading before Hermione's eyes and as she watched it was reduced to a very light outline.  
  
"Why didn't it work, Master," Hermione asked pointing to Blaise's arm.  
  
"She is not willing. Mrs. Zambini, if you do not let us put the Death Mark on you tonight, you will be killed.' Voldemort said and Blaise turned her large blue eyes to him, with a mocking smile on her face.  
  
"Death is better than having to live with you lot," she said her voice strong and clear as she stared down Lord Voldemort.  
  
"Oh dear, then we must resort to worse things than death, now shan't we?" Voldemort said and he turned to Blaise's mother.  
  
"Bring me Olythia," Voldemort said coldly and without a thought Mrs. Zambini threw open the dungoen door and walked out.  
  
"No," Blaise called her voice withering," Not Thia."  
  
"Then let us put the Dark Mark on you," Voldemort snapped and Blaise shook her head her eyes wide and frightened.  
  
The door burst open and Mrs. Zambini walked in, clutching the arm of a girl no older than twelve. The girl was in her nightgown and looked around with her eyes wide. She look almost identical to Blaise, though she was younger.  
  
The girl began to cry as Mrs. Zambini shoved her forward, to where Blaise sat on the ground. Blaise reached out and pulled her sister to herself. Wrapping her arms tightly around her sister she looked up at Voldemort.  
  
"Now what it going to be Blaise, your sister or the Death Mark," Voldemort asked and Blaise shut her eyes for a second, before opening them and lookign at her little sister.  
  
Blaise didn't want to give in and have the Death Mark placed on her arm, for she knew that once it was burned into her skin, she would have to do dastardly deeds against muggles and muggle-borns.  
  
But she loved Olythia so much, she would not watch her be torured by the Death Eaters. Blaise hung her head in defeat. She would become a Death Eater.  
  
Still holding tightly to her sister, Blaise raised one arm and Voldemort now grinning cursed the mark into her skin. Blaise sister was screaming and crying as Blaise put her hand over the mark and fainted.  
  
A/N: Wow! That was in parts quite fun to write. I really hope you all liked it. Hopefully I will have the 19th chapter up soon. Review!!!! 


	19. The Breaking Point

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, yes I'm sorry to say, I will never own Harry, not tomorrow or the next day!  
  
A/N: This is almost the last time that I give an Author's Note for this part of the story. I am so happy! This will be the first fan fiction I have ever completed! Everybody cheer. Lol, anyways I really hope you all like this chapter! Read!  
  
Chapter 19  
  
The Breaking Point  
  
""  
  
Fuel ~ "Won't Back Down"  
  
Hermione yawned and sat up. She was in a different room, then she had been in the day before. She turned over and felt around her pillow for her bracelette.  
  
She had taken it off while she was sleep, because it was digging into her arm. Hermione gave a truimphant sigh and slipped the cool peice of metal back over her wrist.  
  
She was feeling a bit guilty this morning and she didn't know what was bringing all these emotions on to her in waves. She should have stopped Voldemort from threatening Blaise's little sister.  
  
He knew as well as she did, that the only loyal and true Death Eater's, were the ones that had come to them of their own free will. Hermione got up and walked into the bathroom.  
  
She looked into the large and beautifully crafted mirror that hung over the sink. She yawned again as she watched her reflection mimick her. She pulled at her hair a bit, trying to make it not poof so much, then she inspected her nose for any black heads.  
  
When she was satisfied that their was nothing, too different with her appereance she waved her hand over herself and was fully clothed in just a few seconds.  
  
She splashed some cold water on her face and she wimpered a bit as the icy water flicked her skin. Hermione stood back and looked at herself.  
  
She couldn't exactly see what everyone else thought of her. She was a bit tall for a girl, but not abnormally so. She had light clear skin, that had a dusting of freckles every once in a while.  
  
She had plain brown eyes, even plainer brown hair, which although naturally curly, liked to frizz instead of curl. She wasn't as skinny as she used to be, she actaully had a bit of fat on her.  
  
She was still the bookish, know-it-all that had bossed Harry and Ron around when they were in school. Hermione sighed she didn't see how anyone could care for such a plain girl, like herself.  
  
Then her eyes alit on something laying on the sink top. It was a beatiful tiara, encrusted with diamonds and rubies, that Hermione recognized as the ones she had stolen.  
  
She picked up the tiny peice of folded paper and read slowly.  
  
Dear Hermione,  
  
Here is a gift to you for you wonderful services as a Death Eater. I expect you to be wearing this crown of sorts to dinner this evening, which will be a grand afair.  
  
Lord Voldemort  
  
Hermione's smiled dripped off her face like rain. Another party? Hadn't she attended enough of those annoying banquets and boring balls? As Hermione walked down the stairs, her wand in hand, she was still muttering about atroucious events.  
  
When she got downstairs, she realized that she had been deserted. She could hear the hustle and butsle of the house elves, readying the house for the grand event, but other than that there was no sound.  
  
Hermione walked into the kitchen hoping to find at least another human being enjoying breakfast. Instead she almost tripped as a tiny creature rammed into her legs.  
  
The elf that had ran into Hermione bowed so low her tiny and cute, button nose almost touch the floor. She was shaking and as she raised her head, Hermione gasped.  
  
She was different from the house elves Hermione had known before, like Winky, or Dobby. She indeed looked like she was not of their race.  
  
She had light peach colored skin and tiny little pointed ears. Her eyes where big and round, and they where a strange yellow color that reminded Hermione of cat's eyes.  
  
"Blag didn't mean to run into you Misresss. For her crimes Blag will have to punish herself most painfully." The little house elf cried in strangely melodic voice.  
  
Hermione wrinkled her nose in disgust at the little creatures name though. Hermione straightened her face out into a hopefully sincere look of gratitude, and she double over so that she was eye to eye with little Blag.  
  
"Why is your name Blag," Hermione asked, the name just didn't fit the tiny elf.  
  
"Blag's name is trully Bella, but Blag didn't want a name like that," Blag said shaking her head swiftly.  
  
"But Bella is a pretty name," Hermione said and she watched with amusment as in perfect mime of herself, Blag wrinkled her nose.  
  
"Blag is better, Miss," Blag said firmly and Hermione nodded.  
  
"So Blag, where is everyone else," Hermione asked and Blag looked towards the huge oven where a larger house elf was just heaving a large loaf of bread out.  
  
"They all went out," Blag said and before Hermione could ask any further, Blag turned and ran through a door in the far corner of the room.  
  
Hermoine sighed and went back up to her room. She would just read some books or something of that nature until Voldemort got back.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Draco had aparated to London, where he stayed in some small muggle hotel. Blaise hadn't contacted him in over two weeks and he was quite worried. Draco was trying to figure out a way to get to Hogwarts without being detected.  
  
He hated living this way, even more than anything in his life. Whne he went out he dressed in heavy sweaters and jackets and put a low hat on his head. If he was seen by any Death Eater, he might as well kiss his life good bye.  
  
Draco looked around as he crossed the street. Where he was, was desserted and the shutters creaked noisily as the wind hit them. It was pouring rain and even the rats had the sense not to be outside.  
  
Draco walked further. He was going to his favorite place in this whole city. The park. At least someone here must have had vision and really appreciated art, because the park was just basically one big garden.  
  
As Draco walked around the beautiful flowers and lovely greenary that was everywhere, he slowly let himself relax. He had been on edge lately and could be startled by a cat meowing.  
  
Even though, as Blaise had told him, he knew that Hermione was in league with Voldemort, he couldn't picture her like that at all. She wasn't like those cold and heartless murderers.  
  
Draco walked down the prim rows of roses, and admired their beauty. Draco turned around twice, as he thought he heard someone following him. Draco turned warily around and glanced at the shadowy trees just behind him.  
  
He swore he heard twigs snap and leaves crunch as someone walked along behind him. This put Draco on his gaurd. If someone was following him then nothing good could come of it.  
  
Draco clutched his wand, that was in his pants pocket. He turned and walked on listening for the noise again. Sure enough he heard the tell-tell signs that someone was following him.  
  
Draco quickened his pace and as he go to the gate that seperated the park from the stree, he broke into a run. Suddenly someone apparated right infront of him and he crashed into them.  
  
Draco had knocked whoever it was to the ground. As he looked down he saw a girl dressed in expensive muggle clothes. She had her long raven hair all over her face so he couldn't recognize who it was.  
  
He offered his hand to the girl and muttered an apologie. The girl said nothing as he pulled her to her feet, but once she swept her dark hair off her face, Draco gasped.  
  
It was Blaise! And she was looking pale and sickly. Draco stood there staring at her as she looked at the ground. Something was wrong. Why wasn't she speaking to him?  
  
"Blaise, why are you here? Are you alright?" Draco asked, his voice laced with worry.  
  
"I had to find you. I am so glad I did. I'm fine," Blaise said the last part very unconvincingly and Draco grabbed her arm to steady her as she almost toppled over.  
  
"Something is the matter. Why don't you come to my hotel room and tell me all about it," Draco said trying to guide Blaise in the direction of the hotel.  
  
"No," Blaise said and she wrenched her arm out of Draco's, startling him.  
  
"The less I know of you the less I can tell them," Blaise said venemently and Draco halted and looked at her strangely.  
  
"Whose they," he asked in a hushed voice.  
  
"The Death Eaters," Blaise said simply. She shrugged her shoulders and looked at him, tears rapidly gathering in her large eyes.  
  
Draco just stared at her, but as she began to raise her sleeve up he understood. She had been initiated. Draco hugged Blaise tightly and Blaise began to cry.  
  
"I didn't want to become one," Blaise said and Draco nodded his head.  
  
"Draco, I must tell you. Hermione, she is second only to Voldemort among the Death Eaters," Blaise said urgently and Draco shook his head.  
  
"She can't be," he said in a small voice.  
  
"I am sorry," Blaise said softly.  
  
Draco let go of Blaise and she turned away from him. Ashamed of her tears. Draco grabbed Blaises arm as she began to walk away from him.  
  
"Where are you going?" He asked and she turned around, her face sadly devode of anything.  
  
"To them," she said simply and before Draco could protest she apparated.  
  
Draco walked back to the hotel in a sort of daze. Blaise was a Death Eater? And so was his sweet Hermione. Draco shook his head voilently. What was the world coming too?  
  
***************************************************************  
  
It was later that night and Hermione was dressed in a blood red robe. Her crown was settled on her slightly messy hair and as she walked down the grand stair case she felt like a princess.  
  
She walked in a slow elegant manner towards the large oak doors that opened up into the grand dinning room. She could hear the tinkle of fine china being moved around and hushed voices.  
  
She pushed the door open and walked through. Immediatly the room hushed and Hermione saw hundreds of faces turn towards her. Voldemort stood up and raised his glass towards her.  
  
"I would like to propose a toast to Hermione Granger, for her wonderful services to our cause. I would also like to announce that she will from now on be known as Mistress Granger, you will be punushed if you do not call her by her rightful title." Voldemort boomed over tha watchful faces.  
  
Hermione blushed with pleasure as everyone in the room cheered loudly and she walked slowly to her seat beside Voldemort. She sat down and as if waiting for her cue, everyone began to eat.  
  
Hermione leaned towards Voldmort.  
  
"What was all that about," she whispered.  
  
"I am just making sure they know your rightful place, young one," Voldemort said in an aloof sort of way.  
  
Hermione shook her head in wonder and dug into her meal of soup and bread. Hermione smiled brightly as in turned all the Death Eaters approached her and bowed offering their congradulations.  
  
Hermione couldn't help smirking as Wormtail crawled on his knees towards her. His pointed little noise brushing the floor. He kissed her feet and said he would be her loyal servant.  
  
She nearly kicked at him when he touched her. He was such a filthy man. Corrupt and weak, he was better off dead. Hermione sneered at him and he backed away quickly, hoping she would spare his life.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
It was the day they would be kidnapping Narcissa and Hermione woke up with a huge grin on her face. She had told Voldemort that Blaise was not to be trusted with any part of this mission.  
  
He had listened and now Blaise was locked in a small room on the third floor. Hermione put on some clothes that she thought fit the occation, then she put on her black Death Eaters robe and pulling the hood low she put on her silk mask and set off down the stairs.  
  
She was going alone to kidnap Mrs. Malfoy. She would then fly to Hogwarts where the others would be waiting for her. As she apparated to the Malfoy Mansion she grinned the crazy maniac smile that was unucustomed to her.  
  
She arrived in a second with a slight pop in the Malfoy's first floor living room. To her luck Narcissa was sitting on the nearby red couch sipping at some tea.  
  
Hermione stupefied her and then grabbing her arm she transformed into her Animagus form. A winged horse. She had never told anyone other than Voldemort that she was an unregistered Animagus.  
  
It was a secret that she had prided herself on having. Why register and have everyone know exactly what you where? Hermione pulled Narcissa onto her back and galloping along the long hallways made it to the door.  
  
With her teeth she turned the knob and pulled the door open. She ran down the few steps that there were and then taking a big leap she flew into the afternoon sky.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Draco huffed in frustration as he ran along the streets to the Leaky Cauldron. From there he would be able to floo to Hogsmeade and then he was within walking distance of Hogwarts.  
  
He made it the pub and without a word to anyone he ran in and grabbing a bit of Floo Powder threw it in and screamed "The Three Broomsticks". Istantly Draco felt a bit sick as he was swirled around in space.  
  
He finally fell forward after what seemed like an hour and he ran out of the Three Broomsticks and clutching a stitch in his side ran up the long winding rode to the gates of Hogwarts.  
  
He threw them open and opting to stay hidden for the time being he forged into the forest. He tripped on a tree root and skinned his hand. After that he walked slowly. Trying to see someone before they saw him.  
  
Draco had finally made it to a the point where he was around the lake and there was a rather grassy hill leading up to the Quidditch Pitch.  
  
That's when he saw them. Hermione dragging Narcissa along. A knife pointed at his mum's throat. His throat went dry and his breath came in short spurts. He watched as Hermione led Narcissa past the Pitch and out to where Hagrid's hut was closely located.  
  
Draco began to run along behind them. He was still concealed in the trees, but with all the noise he made, he knew Hermione would be able to hear him if she just stopped walking and listened for a second.  
  
A/N: OMG! Only one more chapter to go. I am so happy. Sorry this chapter is sort of a cliffie. I couldn't think of a wonderufl way to end it. I have gotten alot of great reviews from everyone and I am really thankful. Please keep on reading and reviewing my story or stories. Love, Britt 


	20. Faith And Destinee

Dislcaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and I never will.  
  
A/N: Hi! I am so happy! It is the last chapter of this part of the story. I really hope you all liked this story and that I get as many good reviews for the sequel. I don't think this chapter will be as long as the others so you have been warned! Oh my god, this chapter I think is an emotional rollercoaster. I am feeling so evil, but I have a few more twists left in me. I actaully started crying while I wrote this and even when I was just thinking about it. I really hope you all like it. Here we go!  
  
Chapter 20  
  
Faith And Destinee  
  
"I Lie Awake, I've Gone To Ground, I'm Watching Boys, In My Hotel Dressing Gown, Now I Dream Of You, But I Still Believe, There Is Only Enough For One, In This Lonely, Hotel Suite, The Journey's Long, And It Feels So Bad, I'm Thinking Back, To The Last Day We Had, Old Moon Fades Into New, Soon I Know, I'll Be Back To You, I'm Nearly With You, I'm Nearly With You, When I'm Weak, I Draw Strength From You, And When Your Lost, I Know How To Change, Your Mood, And When I'm Down, You Breathe Life, Over Me, Even Though We're Miles Apart, We Are Each Other's, Destiny, On A Clear Day, I'll Fly Home To You, I'm Bending Time, Getting Back To You, Old Moon Turns To New,, Soon I Know, I'll Be Back To You I'm Nearly With You, I'm Nearly With You, When I'm Weak, I Draw Strenght From You, And When Your Lost, I Know How To Change, Your Mood, And When I'm Down, You Breathe Life, Over Me, Evern Though We're Miles Apart, We Are Each Others, Destiny, "  
  
~ Zero 7 - "Destiny"  
  
Hermione smirked maliciously as she held the dagger above Narcissa Malfoy. Suprisingly Narcissa didn't say a word, she had fainted from all the stress. Hermione looked down at her prisoner without mercy.  
  
She could hear Draco crashing around in the woods. He would make it out of there just in time to see his mother killed before his eyes. It was a moment that Hermione was anticipating.  
  
Draco had taken something very valuble from her and now she was going to do the same to him. Her whole body was quivering with the excitment of it all.  
  
Hermione waited until Draco finally could be seen pushing his way through some bushes, then she started laughing. Draco looked at her and his face fell. This whole event was almost playing out exactly like his dream.  
  
Hermione was there looking evil and dangerous all at the same time and there was his mother passed out on the ground at Hermione's feet.  
  
"Draco, what did you think would happen when you broke my heart," Hermione asked her eyes going sad for a second before they retained their evil glint.  
  
"Hermione, please I am sorry," Draco yelled his whole being willing Hermione to believe and forgive him.  
  
"Draco, some people can't change like you and some people can change entirely like me. Some people die, lots of people live. I take from you something precious, because you took something precious from me," Hermione said.  
  
"What did I take Hermione," Draco asked.  
  
"My soul, my will to live. Everything I wanted gone in a day. How would you take it?" Hermione asked her voice snappy and clear.  
  
"I don't know," Draco said his face crumpliong slightly as Hermione stared at him.  
  
Suddenly out of the corner of his eye Draco saw movement he turned his head and saw Voldemort. He had just appareted to stand right beside Hermione. He had a strange smile on his face.  
  
"Please leave my mother alone," Draco heard himself say and he gasped as Hermione started laughing and she lifted her sleeve to reviele a strange tatoo.  
  
It was not the one of the Death Eaters, for some strange reason it was instead of a loin standing with a sword and in Latin underneath it said, "I will conquer the snake".  
  
Draco looked at her puzzled. In his dream the tatoo had been of the Death Eater's emblem.  
  
"Moine, what is the matter with you," Draco said without thought and he almost slapped himself in the head. He was subconciously repeating everything that he had said in his dream.  
  
Hermione grinned malevolently at him, " You did this too me Draco, it's all your fault and now your mother must die, I really hope your happy".  
  
Draco waited with baited breathe, he knew what came next. Unwittingly Draco had closed his eyes, knowing he couldn't do anything to stop this. But instead of hearing Hermione laughing evilly at him, he instead heard a muffled sob from her.  
  
Draco's eyes shot open. He had been fully expecting to see his mother with a knife in her, but instead Hermione was crumpled on the ground Voldemort stood over her, the knife, now bloody, in his hand.  
  
"Hermione, I never told you this, but all good Death Eater's die," Voldemort said and Draco could hear Hermione sobbing.  
  
Draco's heart stopped. No matter how much torture, or pain Hermione had put him through, he still loved her.  
  
"NOOOOO," Draco screamed and hurled himself at Voldemort.  
  
He succeeded in knocking the powerful wizard over and the knife flew out of reach. Draco scrambled for it, but Voldemort tackled him. As they wrestled on the ground, Draco could hear Hermione sobbing and crying his name.  
  
Draco kicked Voldemort hard in the shin and pulling Voldemort's wand from his pocket, where it had been forgotten, he stood up and pointed it at Voldemort.  
  
"You killed her," Draco said raggedly.  
  
"No you foolish boy, You killed her," Voldemort said.  
  
Draco screamed, "AVADA KADEVRA". Voldemort disappeared. Draco looked around and knew at once that Voldemort had disapperated before his curse could hit him.  
  
Draco dropped Voldemort's wand and ran to Hermione's side. He crouched in the cold mud and put her head in his lap. Hermione's face was spattered with mud and the tears flowed freely from her eyes, which where shut tightly.  
  
All around him Draco could shouts from other wizards fighting. He bent down and kissed Hermione's forehead. Her eyes fluttered open and she actaully smiled for a split second.  
  
"Draco, I don't want to die," Hermione said and Draco immediatly felt the tears well up in his own eyes.  
  
Hermione sobbed harder as she felt Draco's tears hitting her face. Draco sat down on the ground and genlty lifted her body onto his own. As he took his left arm away he felt like something warm was on his hand. He looked down and saw his hand covered in blood.  
  
Right then Draco Malfoy, the tough son of a Death Eater, dissolved into sobs. He tried to comfort Hermione, but he needed comforting himself and soon gave up.  
  
"Draco, there is something I need to tell you," Hermione said quietly and Draco nodded and leaned his face closer to her own.  
  
"Draco, I had a baby," Hermione said and Draco looked at her with his blue eyes wide.  
  
"With who," Draco asked and Hermione hit him.  
  
"Who do you think, you stupid moron, YOU," Hermione said and Draco just stared at her in shock.  
  
"When," Draco asked and Hermione smiled slightly at the caring tone in his voice.  
  
"Two weeks ago," Hermione said and Draco nodded.  
  
"Draco, I need you to take care of her," Hermione said seriously.  
  
"Why love, you'll be there. It's a girl is it," Draco said quietly.  
  
Hermione broke down into sobs again.  
  
"I don't want to die, I don't want to die," she kept saying over and over again.  
  
"You're not going to, everything is going to be alright," Draco said and he really hoped it would.  
  
"I named her Destinee. I thought it fitting," Hermione said suddenly and Draco nodded liking the name.  
  
"Draco, I love you," Hermione said and she closed her eyes, falling into unconciousness.  
  
"Hermione, wake up, please wake up Moine," Draco sobbed.  
  
**************************************************************  
  
That's the way Harry and Dumbledore found them. Hermione unconcious and Draco lying over her body crying and in a delirium. Harry tried to picked Draco up so they could see Hermione, but Draco kicked and hit at him so Harry let go.  
  
"Draco, you have to let go so we can cure Hermione," Harry said and Draco looked up with bleary eyes at Dumbledore and Harry.  
  
Draco got shakily to his feet, pulling Hermione's limp body with him. Harry took Hermione in his own arms and Dumbledore looked her over carefully.  
  
"She will live, Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore said seeing the anxiousness etched on the young mans face.  
  
"It's a pretty bad wound, she's bleeding quite a bit," Harry said and Dumbledore nodded.  
  
"Not to worry, Harry," Dumbledore said and he waved his wand and a light blue light shot out of it and onto Hermione's wound. The knife wound healed instantly and Hermione's eyes popped open.  
  
"Where's Draco," she said and Dumbledore smiled.  
  
"I'm right here, love," Draco said and he took Hermione out of Harry's grasped and held her closely to himself.  
  
"I am going to be alright," Hermione asked of Dumbledore as Draco set her down.  
  
"Yes of course, it was a near fatal wound, but I am not bad at healing, if I do say so myself," Dumbledore said and Hermione could see the twinkle in his eye.  
  
Hermione turned; her eyes watering again.  
  
"I trusted him, I can't believe it," Hermione said and Dumbledore nodded.  
  
"Hermione, as you know, I know about lots of things that go on and I must say that; Lord Voldemort is so corrupt that not even your love and acceptance could change him. I just wish that this world was finally rid of him," Dumbledore said and Hermione wiped away her unshed tears.  
  
"Oh Draco, you have to see the baby, she has your eyes," Hermione said and although Dumbledore's eyes where twinkling again and he didn't look at all shocked by Hermione's statement, Harry's jaw dropped.  
  
"B... b.. baby?" Harry stuttered his eyes wide and his mouth flapping rather unflattering.  
  
"Yes, Harry, a baby. My baby. Draco and I's baby." Hermione said and Harry closed his mouth at once and tried to let this fact sink in.  
  
**************************************************************  
  
Hermione smiled as she gently placed little Destinee Amanda Malfoy into Draco's arms. Draco smiled down at his little daughter and couldn't think of a thing to say.  
  
"She's beautiful isn't she," Hermione asked and Draco nodded his head.  
  
"I think she has the best of each of us, your curly brown hair, my blue eyes, my nose, your cute cheeks, she's just wonderful," Draco said breathlessly.  
  
"Hopefully she grows up to be better than her mother or father," Hermione said biting her lip and already looking worried for her little bundle.  
  
"Yes, and without as much drama in her life," Draco said and Hermione snorted.  
  
"She's part Malfoy, she is born in drama," Hermione said and Draco laughed.  
  
"Now it's her nap time, so hand over the child," Hermione said and Draco pouted and pulled a bit out of Hermione's reach.  
  
"But Moine, can't I hold her just a bit longer?" Draco asked and he tried to give her the puppy dog look.  
  
"Nope, sorry. This little girl needs her rest," Hermione said and Draco handed Destinee back to Hermione.  
  
"So how was your life as a Death Eater," Draco asked as Hermione laid Destinee down in her crib.  
  
"Let's just say, you don't want to know," Hermione said and Draco nodded his head.  
  
"Draco, I'm scared," Hermione said and Draco wrapped his arms protectively around her shoulders.  
  
"It will work out, love. Don't worry," Draco said and Hermione turned around so she could look at him.  
  
"But Voldemort isn't dead. He still has his supporters and he is still as strong as ever, and now I have a baby to worry and think about," Hermione said and Draco placed one finger on her lips.  
  
"Shhhh, it will be alright," Draco said softly and he kissed her lightly on her nose.  
  
"I hope so," Hermione said and Draco nodded his head agreeing whole heartedly with her.  
  
A/N: Omg! That was the end. I think I am going to go and have a good cry right now. What did you think? Please, oh please, review! 


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